CARIFTA Games gold medalist, Tianna Springer, brought her talents back to the Guyana, dominating the competition yesterday at the Boyce and Associates Relay Festival.
Springer was flawless during the well-attended event which was staged in brilliant sunshine at the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) ground, Eve Leary.
The 16-year-old star won the individual 150m women’s event in an exciting photo finish with Keliza Smith then went on to anchor her 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m relay teams to victory.
The PPYC standout also helped her team to finish atop the podium in the women’s 800m event running the 200m leg. Her five wins on the day was best among the top track and field stars.
While Springer, who won the women’s 400m U-17 event at the CARIFTA Games last month in The Bahamas was no doubt the athlete of the meet, the race of the day was arguably the men’s 1500m medley event which was won by the Hopetown Flames.
In a scintillating final 800m leg, Matthew Gordon and Marlon Nicholson had an edge-of your-seat duel. Gordon, however, edged ahead in the final 60m as the boisterous fans erupted in excitement as the Flames’ product won the scorcher.
The PPYC, Flames, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), University of Guyana (UG), Berbice Police Youth Club and Buxton were the competing clubs at the event which saw the usual relay races along with the individual men’s and women’s 150m and 300m events.
Each race had $70,000 up for grabs with $40,000 being rewarded to the winning relay team. Twenty thousand dollars and ten thousand dollars will go to the first and second runners up.
According to chief organizer, Colin Boyce, the inaugural fixture was a great success which generated excitement among the athletes and the clubs. He disclosed that next year he will be inviting clubs from Trinidad and Jamaica
Sponsors for the event included: Banks DIH Limited, Star Party Rental, Pure Diamond, K&B Mining, GuyAmerica Construction and others. (Emmerson Campbell)
