Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Pulsating Joint Services ‘Final Day’ in the making
As Police take 12-point lead against Soldiers
Trevor Scotland
Wilbert Mingo
By Edison Jefford
It was clear after the completion of the second day in the Annual Joint Services Track and Field Championship that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) knew that they were engaged in a genuine battle for supremacy against the Soldiers.
First the defending champions thought that they were going to retain the overall title with their eyes closed, but when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) led them on the first day of the competition, their eyes were opened to challenge.
It was not a façade, the Soldiers’ title challenge was real and it took the Triple Jump to be the deciding factor of who comes away with the lead after day two since both teams were locked on 197 points before that final event.
Natasha Alder and Donna Ferguson gave GPF the first two places in the Women’s Triple Jump and they had another finish amid the top five that allowed them 23 points from the event as opposed to the Soldiers’ 11 points.
Wilbert Mingo
Natasha Alder
Police’s Jason Critchlow with a jump of 12.84m won the Male Triple Jump with the GDF taking the next two places. Delon Younge was second with 12.64 and Marlon Forde came third with a best mark of 12.48 in the field event.
The Police and the Soldiers picked up 18 points each from the male version of the contest that took the Police to 238 points overall and the Defence Force to 226, establishing a 12-point lead heading into the ‘Final Day’ for the police.
The Guyana Fire Service was on third on 64 points and the Combined Services fourth on 23 points. The Police started the day’s competition on 90 points with the Soldiers slightly ahead on 92 points and the Fire Service on 33 points.
Former national athlete, Trevor Scotland ran a blistering and well paced 1:57.2 to win the Men’s 800m race for the Police with team-mate Mark Edwards in second with 1:59.5 and the Defence Force’s, Odele DeSantos (2:00.3) third.
Ashanti Scott
However, the Defence Force turned the table on the Police in the Women’s 800m when a tactical run-from-behind ensured Ashanti Scott her second gold medal of the competition in a time of 2:31 as the Soldiers finished one-two. Leanna Doris, also of the GDF, was second in 2:39 with Police’s Gaylene Doris (2:41.00) third. Scott had lapped all but one athlete the previous day in the 3000m race and is to be a leading competitor in the Women’s 1500m as well.
The Defence Force continued its underdog surge against the defending champions, Police when Wilbert Mingo upset seasoned distance athlete, Larry Josiah to win the Men’s 5000m on his home turf at Base Camp Ayanganna.
Mingo outpaced Josiah to register 16:41.6 for the second track win for the Soldiers on the second day with Police’s Josiah finishing in 17:20.4. The Soldiers took third when Mark McAllister clocked 17:53.5 in the distance race.
Alder, who is also a national basketball player, had claimed the Women’s Javelin Throw earlier yesterday with a best mark of 37.67 while her team-mate, Latoya Rodney (28.73) was second and GDF’s Wonita Wayne (27.34) third.
The Soldiers were among the top three again when Raymond Alexander threw 49.05m to beat Police’s Adrian Massiah (47.76) and GDF’s Delon Younge (47.35) respectively in a grossly intense battle for points and bragging rights.
Today is slated as a ‘rest day’ in the championships with the ‘Final Day’s in competition scheduled for tomorrow where final in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 4×100, 4×400 and the Shot Putt events will decide the 2009 overall winner.
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