Champion student athletes, Kenisha Phillips and Compton Caesar claimed victories in the blue riband event yesterday at the National Stadium, sprinting away from their respective rivals over 100m to keep their hopes of recording sprint trebles alive.
Phillips of Chase’ Academy ran a season’s best of 12.1s to win the girls U-16 title, holding off District 10’s Deshanya Skeete, who ran 12.2s for second and District 13’s Tiffauna Garnett (12.5s).
The 15-year old Phillips who is the fastest local female student athlete of all time, got off to a fast start and then held her form through the finishing line to set a new seasonal best.
100m Boys U-20
Prior to the marquee event, there was a buzz inside the venue before the finalists settled in their starting blocks especially from a section of the grandstand occupied by some vocal supporters. The race featured the highly fancied duo of Caesar and Thummim Paul of District 15 both of whom had posted some very fast times in the heats. However, Caesar held his nerves and was a blur after his signature explosive start and powered away from the field to record a 10.6s victory.
The fleet footed District 10 sprinter, could not replicate his record breaking run as an Under-18 athlete last year, but he got the job done ahead of Titus Webster (11.12s) of District 5 and Paul who crossed the line for third in 11.13s.
800m
Claudrice McKoy (North Georgetown/ District 11) was also a standout athlete yesterday.
McKoy underlined her class in a another superb display of speed and stamina, winning in excess of 15 meters in a brisk (2m:28.50s) to dominate the event in wire to wire fashion.
The Chase’s Academy fifth form student who added another gold medal to her cabinet was never threatened by second and third place finishers District 4’s Latoya Moore (2m:40.30s) and Sophey David (2m.43.0s) of District 1.
Her district mates, Samuel Lynch (Boys U-18) and Maria Urquhart (Girls U-20) also recorded victories in the 800m yesterday to add valuable points to the tally of the district which surprisingly sit in seventh place on 112.5s.
Arch rivals, District 10 leads way out front on 239.5 points.
Day 4 of the 56th annual fixture is set to commence at 09:00hrs, with the 200m and 1500m events highlighting today’s programme.
Caesar and Phillips will be among the 100m winners aiming to record a sprint doubles today.
