By Tamica Garnett
Wins from Nadine Rodrigues, Tiffany Carto and Dennis Horatio, aided by consistent presence in all events contested, were the key ingredients in the Police Sports Club (PSC) recipe for winning the inaugural Under-23 track and field championships Sunday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.
Police Sports Club ended on 262 points which earned them a trophy and $150, 000 compliments of Digicel.
In second position was the Royal Youth Movement (RYM) on 243.25 points which earned them $100, 000.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) copped $50, 000 for placing third and for want of one point Rising Stars missed out on the $25, 000 fourth place position which went to Running Brave with 45 points.
Lyndon Wilson coach of the PSC team said the weeks of strenuous training had finally paid off.
“I was a bit scared coming into the competition because I knew that Royals is a strong team but my confidence rose after we were in the lead by the second half. After that it was just a matter of keeping it up.”
The athletes’ delivery, the officials watertight organizing and the spectators’ rampant attendance all worked to offset the minor mishap of the flooded ground which left many athletes both soaked and muddy by the end of their races.
Beginning with the distance races, Horatio showcased his capability in the curtain raiser male 5000m event.
The star athlete set the pace for all others to follow with competition coming from Upper Demerara’s Nathaniel Giddings.
The two easily isolated themselves into the lead, leaving the other five participants to battle for the remaining positions.
In the end Horatio was able to scrape approximately two seconds lead in front of Giddings. RYM’s Winston Missingher finished third some 25 seconds later.
Horatio also copped the top position in the 1500m and 800m races.
In the 1500m Giddings seemed spent for the day and could not repeat the perseverance he displayed in the 3000m and ended the race in eighth position.
Horatio, though, produced another top-quality result with first place in four minutes and 23.80 seconds. Kevin Bayley (4:29.80) came in second while Chavez Sital (4:34.10) was third.
It was Bayley who brought the competition in the 800m, but Horatio ensured another first place win. RYM’s Philip Drayton took third place.
Rising Star’s Alika Morgan made it look easy in the 3000m event for females.
GDF’s Carlisa Atkinson tried but could not keep up with Morgan’s rapid pace and came in almost an entire minute after Morgan.
Teshonna Punch and Tisha Grimes both of the Police Sports Club team came in third and fourth respectively.
Two events later Morgan returned in the 1500m, this time with competition from promising athletic star Jevina Straker. The other athletes stood no chance against the two who decided to unfurl the full length of their abilities.
Morgan prevailed in the end, finishing in five minutes and 12.70 while Straker came in second in five minutes and 15.90 seconds.
Atkinson eventually took third place some 30 seconds later.
In the 800m Morgan’s absence gave Straker the opportunity she needed to shine taking first place while Atkinson continued her second place trend.
