Carlon Halley of Corentyne/ District Six, stunned crowd favourite Dennis Horatio in the final of the male U-20 1500m metres yesterday at the National Schools Track and Field championships in what was the most exhilarating day of competition in this year’s event.
Horatio, the 2007 Pan American and South American Games junior participant, was a sure bet to win the gold in the male Open 1500m, and maybe even break Andrew Smith’ s record of four minutes, 11 seconds in the process.
Most persons had tipped Horatio to win except the well-informed members of District 6.
Persons may vaguely remember a promising runner decked out in yellow and green coming up on Horatio’s shoulder on the last turn before being dismissed by Horatio’s strong signature finish in last year’s event at GCC, Bourda.
“I had it in my mind since last year to beat him (Dennis Horatio) because I ran up under him on the last turn at Bourda but the ground was wet and I slipped and nearly fell down. So I was determined not to let it happen again,” the new champion said.
“I gauged him all the time and then made my move at the end.” Halley added after the race.
Halley overtook Horatio with about 120m to go clocking a time of four minutes, 19 seconds.
A number of records were shattered especially in the boys’ U-16 800m where pre-race favourite, Jonathon Fagundes, failed to finish as winner and new-record holder, Ricardo Martin, gave him a tutorial in the art of middle-distance running.
Martin, of District Nine, won the event in two minutes, 5.5 seconds to destroy the record of 2:11s previously held by Shane Scipio.
Steve Petrie in 2:08:00s was second while Kareem Aaron in 2:08.05s was third.
Martin returned later to win the boys’ U-15 1500m in record time of 4:24.4s.
Fagundes, the previous record-holder was second with a time of 4:36s and Devon Barrington of North Georgetown third in 4:45s.
Although, Alika Morgan secured impressive victories in the 800m and 1500m girls’ Open while setting a new record of 4:56s in the latter, it was Leslie Black’s other athlete, Janella Jonas, who stole the show.
Jonas destroyed the U-16 girls’ 800m record and won the 1500m Girls’ U-16 event.
Carlissa Atkinson and Shemaine Campbelle also turned in strong performances in the 800 girls’ U-16 event running 2:26s and 2:30s respectively to claim second and third positions behind Jonas.
Micheal Bowman joined the record-breaking affair when he won the boys’ U-16 javelin with a throw of 46.53 metres to erase the existing record of 39.90m set be Cleeron Mercurius in 2005.
And, Darnyl Dublin of District Seven leapt into the record books with a jump of 1.25m in the boys’ U-10 high jump.
Phillip Drayton (District 11) who is a strong contender in today’s male 400m Open, claimed the 800m male Open gold earlier in the day in what was a fairly docile race with his only major competitor being second place finisher Tysaun Benetick of District 10.
Rhodell Alleyne of East Georgetown (District 12) equalled the record of 25.5 seconds in the female U-20 200m as she comfortably outran Roxanna Rigby of New Amsterdam (District 15) and Nadine Rodrigues (District 11).
In the male U-20 200m, Dwanyne Wilson of East Bank Demerara (District 14) came out of nowhere to stun pre-race favourite Kevin Haynes who finished third as Kellon Reid of District 10 also passed him.
Wilson registered a time of 22.7 seconds while Reid and Haynes registered 23:0s and 23:3s respectively.
Despite the setbacks suffered by the pre-race favourites one crowd favourite Carlwyn Collins did not disappoint.
Collins shot out of the blocks in the U-16 200m and sped around the turn so fast that he may set off the radar guns at the Providence Police Station.
The 15-year-old Queen’s College student turned in a record time of 22:7 seconds, to add to his two existing national records.
The excitement will continue today with the much anticipated 4X100 relay Open finals and 5000m where Horatio will seek to heal his wounds both physically and psychologically with a victory.
