Thursday, March 28, 2024

Keen contest in NAPSAC

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AFTER THREE ENTHRALLING rounds of competition in the National Primary Schools Athletic Championships (NAPSAC) it all comes down to this.
When the highly anticipated finals run off  at 11 a.m today at the National Stadium, spectators will finally get the answers to some keenly awaited questions.
Can Malachi Harris break the cricket ball throw record again, or can he be beaten on the track? Who will win the duel between Sarah Belle and Indica Kellman-Wall in the distance races? Who will come out on top in the three-way battle between juniors Skye Spencer-Layne, Samiya Dell and Ciara Piggot?
And last, but certainly not least, can West Terrace defend both their girls’ and boys’ titles which they won back in 2012?
It will be hard-pressed for West Terrace to repeat their 2012 accomplishment as they lack the athletes needed to present a strong challenge.
While Luther Thorne and St Stephen’s have shown that they are the ones to beat in the boys’ and girls’ respectively, they will also face some stiff challenges from Wesley Hall Juniors, Charles F. Broome and Hilda Skeene.
Once again, Harris is expected to steal the spotlight much like he has done throughout the previous rounds.
Deacons Primary’s ten-year-old star athlete will be hoping he can surpass his mark of 67.40 metres which he set in the Under-11 cricket ball throw in the semi-finals to establish a new record.
His greatest challenge however, will come on the track, where his arch-rival, Milton Lynch’s Jevon Burnett, will be looking to create undoubtedly one of the biggest upsets when they face off in the 100 and 200-metre events.
Coincidentally, both Under-13 athletes, Belle of St George Primary and Wilkie Cumberbatch’s Kellman-Wall, are training partners at the JumpStart track club, which makes this contest all the more exciting.
Belle’s times of 1:05.42 in the 400 metres, 1:51.43 in the 600 and 27.42 in the 200 metres, were almost identical to those of Kellman-Wall, who clocked 1:05.77, 1:51.10 and 27.94, respectively.
The real thriller will come from among the Under-9 girls though, where West Terrace’s Spencer-Layne, Dell of Sharon Primary and St Stephen’s Piggott were virtually inseparable in the semi-finals.
Barring a fall or disqualification, their 150-metre race could very well be the event of the day. Their semi-final times in this race were agonisingly close, with Spencer-Layne and Dell both finishing in 15.59, and Piggott in 15.62.
Crowd favourite Ialpha Nedd of A Dacosta Edwards will be looking to put a disappointing semi-final showing in the Under-13 Boys’ 200 and 400 metres events behind him in today’s finals.
He was beaten in his qualifying heat by Sharon Primary’s Savion Hoyte, who recorded the fastest time of 1:03.29, and his time was only good enough for fourth fastest in the 200 metres.
Nedd will have to be wary of Luther Thorne’s Shem Williams, who has announced himself as a worthy competitor in both events, especially the 200 metres.
Among the Under-9 Boys, West Terrace’s Iyobosa Iyare is the clear favourite to win the 100 metres and has a very good chance of doing the sprint double in the 150 metres.

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