Remarkable displays of speed, strength, stamina and leaping ability, enabled the Guyana Police Force Athletic Club (GPFAC) to retain the championship trophy of the Boyce/Jefford Classic last night at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground.
With the continued absence of 2013 champions, Running Brave Athletic Club, GPFAC tallied 395 points to once again defeat last year’s runners up Guyana Defence Force (GDF) track and field team by 66 points (329) in the seventh edition of the Classic.
Linden (189 points) and Mercury Fast Laners (92) finished third and fourth respectively to be among the money.
Throughout the two-day championships the victors, who earned the $1M first prize, threw, leaped and ran away with most of the events while placing in the top five in many of the others.
Two-time Olympian, Winston George and Alita Moore who both recorded sprint trebles along with Julio Sinclair and US based Kevin Bailey were instrumental in GPFAC’s success.
Here are a few highlights:
George who recently returned from the Rio Olympics, showed his class in the sprints.
Men’s 100m, 200m, 400m
George, won the three marquee track events (100m and 200m) with just the wind and the damp track providing the most opposition.
The national 400m record holder also anchored Police’s 4x400m relay team to the gold.
He was then adjudged the male champion athlete after tallying 30 individual points.
Women’s 100, 200m and 400m George’s club mate, Moore was not to be outdone and proved just as valuable. The technically correct sprinter also racked up 30 points on her own.
Before anchoring the GPFAC to victory in the 4x400m, Moore cruised to easy wins in the 200m and 400m individual events. Prior to those races, she blasted to victory in the 100m women’s final.
Known for her fast start, and finishing prowess, Moore exploded out of the blocks and maintained her lead on the fast finishing Anito win the final. Moore struck gold in a brisk 12.2s seconds with Onasha Rogers snatching the second spot in 12.3s seconds. Cassie Small was third in 12.5s.
Men’s 800m
Bayley (1m:58.3s) sent the large crowd into a frenzy by upsetting race favourite, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ashton Gill (2:0.1s) after turning on the jets in the final 200m to kick clear ahead of the international athlete. A fast finishing Quacy Morian was a close second in 1m: 58.5s.
Sinclair chipped in for the police club by winning the male shot put and discus events.
For the GDF, distance dynamo, Cleveland Ford was their standout athlete. The ‘Little Kenyan’ won the men’s 1500 and 5000m events.
Major sponsors for the premier track and field event included Digicel, Fly Jamaica, the National Sports Commission, Courts, Giftland Mall and Ansa McAL.
In excess of $2M was shared out to the top four clubs and athletes competing in the international events.
