Rain delays morning start on second day

By Kizan Brumell

After a grand opening ceremony of the 48th Annual National Schools’ Track and Field Cycling and Swimming Championships at the floodlit Mackenzie Sports Club ground on Tuesday evening,  a horrid change of weather delayed the start of day two yesterday.
A large shower of rain darkened the mood of the athletes, spectators and officials who filled the ground early yesterday morning to play their part in the events.

The downpour, which began around the scheduled time off commencement (9am) lasted for about three hours almost without any let up.

The deluge made the ground unfit for any event with large puddles of water overtaking the field.
Around noon organizers decided that a possible 5pm start would give the ground staff enough time to prepare the almost-waterlogged ground.

The sodden Mackenzie Sports Club ground during the large shower of rain that delayed the commencement of Day Two. To the top-left of the picture is the athletes’ pavilion with the participants from various districts grounded by the rainfall. (Kizan Brumell Photo)

Organizers might have also hoped for a change in weather but this did not materialise.
When the rain finally stopped the ground staff had gotten rid of a considerably large amount of water off the track but it was still unfit for the sprint events.

At approximately 5.45pm events had not yet been started but according to one of the coaches he suggested to the technical committee to run the long and middle distance events but no sprints to prevent damage to the already vulnerable soggy track.