Good Shepherd do the double

Good Shepherd Primary School claimed both titles in the Andrea Blackett Zone of the 2023 Chefette Frosteez National Primary School Athletic Championships (NAPSAC) at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex on Monday.

When the dust settled on the first zone, Good Shepherd sat on top both the girls’ and boys’ standings with 302 points and 252.50 points, respectively. The Fitts Village, St James school dominated the day’s proceedings, also leaving with five of the ten division winners.

After a two-year hiatus, hundreds of supporters packed the stands to cheer on the young athletes for the return of the full championships for the first time since 2019, and they were treated to a spectacle.

Twelve-year-old Annette Springer set the tone for the day for Good Shepherd Primary when she won her 600 metres Open heat, and it escalated from there.

Their female athletes were particularly impressive and were well worth the 161-point margin of victory over second placed St Paul’s Primary School by the end of play.

Zaria Mayers was the Girls’ Under-7 division champion, winning the 50-metre dash at a canter with a time of 10.25, 0.7 faster than her nearest competitor Taraji Codrington from St Philip’s Primary. She also won the standing broad jump.

Joint victor ludorum Khalil Bryan of Sharon Primary School is a class act. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe)

In the Under-13 division, Kenya Ashton collected the most points (26) with consecutive second place finishes to Miracle DaCosta from St Paul’s Primary in the 100 and 200 metres, but came out on top in the Long Jump.

Six-year-old Danari Roach was not to be overshadowed though, as he earned a full 30 points, courtesy of wins in the Boys’ Under-7 standing broad jump, tennis ball throw and 50-metre dash.

The brightest talent on the day though was quite clearly Khalil Bryan from Sharon Primary School. The 12-year-old was the class of the Boys’ Under-13 category, triumphing in the 100, 200 and 400 metre events with consummate ease to gain 30 points.

NAPSAC continues today at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex with the James Wedderburn Zone.

The schools featuring will be: St Giles Primary, Ignatius Byer Primary, St Matthew’s Primary, St Lucy’s Primary, People’s Cathedral Primary, St Stephen’s Primary, St Luke’s Academy, St Christopher Primary, St Ambrose Primary, Roland Edwards Primary, Christ Church Girls Primary.

Final points for the Andrea Blackett Zone:

Girls

1. Good Shepherd 302
2. St Paul’s Primary 141
3. St Gabriel’s 122
4. St Martin’s Mangrove
5. Eden Lodge 110
6. Eagle Hall Primary 94
7. Sharon Primary 83
8. St Bartholomew 75
9. St Philip’s Primary 64

Boys

1. Good Shepherd 252.50
2. St Paul’s 193
3. St Gabriel’s 147
4. Eden Lodge 134
5. St Bartholomew 128
6. Sharon Primary 95.50
7. St Martin’s Mangrove 83
8. Eagle Hall Primary 71
9. St Philip’s Primary 21