The opening day of Island Champs produced thrills in spades, signalling the start of seven days of athletics excitement. Commencing with first-round action in several events on Monday, March 9, the secondary school track and field championships will continue until the track finals on Sunday, March 22, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
On Monday, athletes from the island’s 25 secondary schools competed in the 80m, 100m, 300m and 400m on the 300m grass track at DSCG, as well as the 4x300m and 4x400m relays. The track preliminaries continue on Tuesday with the 150m, 200m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, 1200m and 1500m. Track semifinals will be next Wednesday, March 18.
Also beginning this week will be field events, which will take place at the Saint Lucia Sports Academy from Wednesday, March 11. Ball throw, javelin throw, long jump and high jump in selected divisions will be the opening events. Next Monday and Tuesday, there will be discus throw, shot put, more long jump, high jump, and triple jump.
On the face of it, defending champions St Joseph’s Convent and St Mary’s College appear to have the upper hand after the first day of competition, but they are not far ahead of schools like Vieux Fort Comprehensive, Soufriere Comprehensive, Saint Lucia Sports Academy and Beanefield Comprehensive.
In the Under-14 girls’ Division 3, Jaela St Clair and Skai Sammy of SJC won their respective heats in 10.7 seconds, the fastest times of the day, well ahead of Soufriere’s Tarnisha Henry and Entrepot’s Myhia Evans. Brianne Jason from SLSA commanded the 300m in 45.5 seconds, topping Aminta Didier (SCSS), Evans (ESS) and Henry (SCSS). VFCSS had the best time in the 4x300m relay in that class.
Among the boys, Soufriere’s Devin Mesmain was the leading runner in the 80m and 300m. He registered 9.7 and 43.2 in his two events. He will need to contend with Nasri Edwin of VFCSS, Kerfann Alexander of Micoud, and Manasseh Sobers of SMC in the 80, while he must hope to hold off defending champion Evan Sankar of SMC, Aiden Biscette of SLSA and Javier Norbert of Beanefield for the 300m crown. Sankar led SMC to the best time in the 4x300m.
Ianna James recorded the best time in the intermediate girls’ 100m, coming in at 12.5 seconds in the Under-16 category. Micoud’s Mylee Chaddie, Vieux Fort’s Hallie Pierre, and Choiseul’s Kianna Jean also ran under 13 seconds. The 40 figures to be a battle between student-athletes from VFCSS and SLSA, with the Academy’s Laila Nicholas, at 1:03.8, putting down the fastest time. VFCSS and SLSA have the fastest 4x400m times going into the finals.
Rising stars Renard Bernard of VFCSS and Armni Phillips of Sir Ira Simmons Secondary are on course to meet in the intermediate boys’ 100m finals. Bernard ran 11.0 in the preliminaries, followed by Phillips at 11.1, and then Zayne Henry of SMC. Leonel Mathurin of VFCSS ran 55.7 to sit atop the 400m table. SLSA and SMC lead the 4x400m after the first round.
CARIFTA athletes clashed in the girls’ Under-18 class. Barbara-Marie Maximin of Beanefield ran 12.4, ahead of CARIFTA double champion Jady Emmanuel of Choiseul, high jump medallist Destinee Cenac of SJC, and Ellanie Polius of Beanefield. Akaiha Weeks of Leon Hess Comprehensive ran 1:02.0 in the 400m, just ahead of two-time CARIFTA athlete Isabella Emilienne of SLSA. SJC and SLSA had the fastest mile relay times.
The Beanefield duo of Kade Francis and Jermario Actille were two of only three athletes under 11 seconds in the Under-18 boys’ 100m. Francis ran 10.7 to win Heat 4. Elijah Isidore of VFCSS ran 54.7 in the 400m. Based in Anse Ger, the TVET Institute – School of Innovation & Technology ran the best time in the 4x400m.
