TALMA’S TIME came at long last.
It was five years in coming but the wait was more than worth it for Christ Church Foundation’s new champion house after Purple won both the girls’ and boys’ crowns yesterday on the way to finally recapturing the inter-house title at the National Stadium.
The heavens weren’t all that fell as Wellington’s (Red) reign also came down under an absolutely dominant performance that saw Talma accumulate 891 points – more than 100 more than nearest rivals Inniss (Blue – 787.5) and Wellington (767.5). Skeete (Gold) were fourth with 703 points while Lynch (Green) pulled up the rear with 323.
More impressive still was that Talma started the day 32.5 points behind the champs yet managed to open an unassailable 86-point cushion by lunchtime.
Their assault on sports probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise as Rishaunna Padmore gave a sign of things to come in the very first event by breaking Sherryann Smart’s 16-year-old record in the Under-13 Girls’ 400 with a time of one minute, 4.43 seconds.
She was actually involved in two record-setting runs on the day after also dipping under Sandra Husbands’ 28.20 second-clocking in the 200 metres, but had to settle for second in that event as Lynch’s Jaliyah Denny nipped her at the line after clocking 27.47.
The champion house also accounted for Under-17 Girls’ division winner Laneekwa Gibson and Under-15 king Rashae Walkes, the junior victor ludorum.
At least Wellington had the honour of securing the girls’ equivalent in Under-15 girls’ queen Cheyanne Cummins as well as Under-17 contender Christopher Taitt. Taitt won the long jump (6.36 metres) and javelin (38.40m) to go with second-place finishes in the 200 metres and discus.
But no one came close to matching the performance of Skeete’s Brette Lawrence, the victrix ludorum.
The Under-20 queen tallied wins in the high jump (1.35m), long jump (4.33m), triple jump (9.33m), javelin (19.49m) and 400 (1:04.94) to add to a silver and two bronze medals she won in the 3 000, shot put and discus, respectively.
Inniss’ Rio Williams probably had the next best individual performance after the victor ludorum won the Under-17 boys’ 800 metres (2:18.78) and 1 500 metres (4:48.32) double; came second in the high jump (1.60), triple jump (10.76) and 5 000 metres (19:05:21); and placed third in the 400 metres (54.18) and javelin (30.30).
Former CARIFTA bronze medallist Pius Emilien also had himself a fine showing while predictably sweeping the Under-20 Boys’ 400 (52.91), 800 (2:11:23), 1500 (4:40.08) and 5 000 (18:28.97) for Skeete.
Despite finishing second in the girls’ and overall point standings, Inniss at least had the consolation of breaking the day’s third record when their 4×400 boys’ team came home in a time of 3:45.36, eclipsing Talma’s ten-year mark of 3:49.67.
