LESTER VAUGHAN made a bold statement that they won’t be relinquishing their boys’ title despite the loss of some of their high-profile athletes by leading the Frank Blackman Zone of the Barbados Secondary Schools Athletic Championships (BSSAC) after the opening day with 215.5 points.
Competing in windy conditions at the National Stadium yesterday, Lester Vaughan, with some new faces on their team, were extremely strong in the hurdles and jumps, but former BSSAC kings Queen’s College are just adrift in second position on 204.5 points. Coleridge & Parry (141) were third, followed by The Lodge School (111) and The St Michael School (93.5).
Lester Vaughan’s dominance in the hurdles came through Juwan Augustin-Mayers (14.02) and Anderson Greaves (15.12) sweep of the top two positions in the Under-20 boys. Hasani Lowe (14.54) and Antonio Farrell (15.38) finished second and third behind Under-17 winner Tre Hollingsworth of QC, who won in a wind-assisted 14.44 seconds, meaning Michael Nicholls’ record of 14.48 will remain. Tyal Antoine (14.29) and Shem Williams (15.64) also had a one-two among the Juniors Boys’ 100.
Greaves (6:41) also won the Under-20 long jump and Farrell (6.21 metres) the Under-17 Boys’ long Jump from schoolmate Ondre Callender (6.06) while Under-13 boy Aaron Brathwaite won the high jump with a clearance of 1.38 metres.
Lester Vaughan showed they also have some fast Under-20 boys as Kentoine Browne (10.68) and Ranico Watson (10.91) swept the first two places in the 100 and also won the timed finals Under-20 4×100 relay in 42.45 seconds. The Under-13 (54.37) and Under-15 (47.80) 4×100 relay teams were also victorious with some smooth baton exchanges.
Queen’s College’s challenge was led by Antoni Hoyte-Small, who won the Under-17 100 metres in 10.94 seconds from Lowe (11.05) and also took the 400 metres in 49.15 seconds while also running a superb second leg in their triumphant 4×100 relay team (44.09). Samuel Alkins (54.55) triumphed in the 400 metres while Zico Riley (34.16) won the Junior Boys’ discus and Seth Edwards (38.85) took the Under-20 discus.
CP’s wonder boy Jonathan Jones won the Under-20 boys’ 1500 metres in another CARIFTA qualifying time of 4:05.68 minutes from twin brothers, Romario Marshall (4:14.10) and Akeem Marshall (4:15.34) of the Lodge School.
Last year’s victor ludorum Enrique Babb (38.43) copped the discus in his first year among the Under-17s while Robert Ewart (4:41.52) claimed the Under-17 Boys’ 1500 for CP.
Akeem Marshall, after placing third in the 1500 metres, came back to win the 400 metres in 49.90 from QC’s Akem Callender (50.37).
Lodge had another 400-metre winner in Under-13 boy, Amani Mascoll-Beckles (63.33), who ran a faster time than Frederick Smith’s Malachi Harris (63.96).
But Harris captured the 100 metres in 12.91 seconds from his former NAPSAC rival, Jevon Burnett (13.02) of Princess Margaret while Savion Hoyte gave Frederick Smith another win by outlasting the QC pair of Jahlarni Toney (5:03.39) and Jahleel Armstrong (5:04.05) in the Junior Boys’ 1500.
St Michael’s speedy Darian Clarke was denied the Under-15 100 metres record as his victory in 11.12 seconds was wind-aided while schoolmate Kyle Gale cleared 1.63 metres to win the high jump in the same age group.
ezrastuart@nationnews.com
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