Local Olympian remains on top in 400 meters

Sep 03, 2012 Sports

---

The Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary was the centre of attraction yesterday afternoon as athletes and spectators flocked to see what was called ‘the clash of the titans’ in the men’s Under-23 400 meters that featured Guyana’s local Olympian, Winston George and the present 400 meters junior national holder, Stephan James.

The trials (Youth and Under-23), which was held by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) to select a team for the upcoming South American Youth (October) and Under-23 (September) Games, saw the Olympian playing ‘look over’ games on the 400 meter track with his rival, James of Running Brave Athletic Club.
The most anticipated race for the day concluded with George of Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) outsprinting James on the homestretch in style after returning from the Olympics a few weeks ago to register 47.6 seconds on grass ahead of James’ 47.9 seconds. George’s club mate, Shawn Semple crossed the line in 49.3 seconds to claim third position.
Alita Moore (11m30cm), who was second to Natrena Hooper’s 11m74cm leap in the females U-23 triple jump earlier in the morning, rebounded to cop a gold in the females U-23/open 100 meters ahead of Letitia Myles of Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Ebony Nelson of Mercury Fast Laners (MFL) and Leota Bobb (open).
Moore, the champion of the Digicel’s U-23 100 meters clocked 11.8 seconds, opening a gap on the field. Myles was second in the U-23 category with 12.4 seconds, while Nelson was third in 12.9 seconds. Bobb who came second behind Moore in the race clocked 12.2 second to win the open women’s category. Moore is the first junior athlete for the year to break the 12 seconds barrier in the 100 meters dash.
Top sprinter Chavez Ageday (10.5 seconds) took his first victory on day two of the trials in the males U-23 100 meters ahead of GDF’s Akeem Stewart (10.8 seconds) and PPYC’s Terry Easton.
The men’s invitational 100 meters was equally impressive as the male and female U-23 100 meters with senior athletes like Patrick King, Keith Roberts and Leroy Bristol. The race which was mainly contested between the Joint Service athletes, King and Roberts saw both athletes neck to neck at the line, King (10.4 seconds) was adjudged as the winner as Roberts, 10.6 seconds was second. Bristol finished the race in 12.1 seconds.
Little bullet, Tevin Garraway, destroy the field once again in the youth boys 200 meters from start to the finish to register a new personal best time of 21.9 seconds. Samuel Doris and Quacy Simpson were in distant second and third in 22.5 seconds and 23.5 second respectively.
Shoquane Daniels (26.2 seconds) ran away with the youth girls 200 meters from Tirana Mitchell (27.2 seconds) and Nicole Buchoon (31.4 seconds).
Arinze Chance, who lately returned to athletics, came out victorious in the youth boys 400 meters outclassing a field of four athletes in 53.4 seconds. Rondel Austin (55.6 seconds) of PPYC and Jermaine Abrams (58.1 seconds) of MFL came second and third.
Neisa Allen claimed the females 400 meters in 57.5 seconds to pick up a double win at the trials ahead of Natrena Hooper (58.9 seconds) and Tiffany Smith (1:00.6 seconds).

Kevin Bayley of PPYC, who lately recuperated from food poisoning, won the males U-23 800 meters in 1:57.9 seconds ahead of Tyshon Bentick and Devon Barrington of GDF. The athletes finished the race in 1:58.6 seconds and 1:59.2 seconds respectively. Cleveland Thomas (1:57.2 seconds) was the winner of the Open men 800 meters.
Jevina Straker took another victory at the trials in the 800 meters in 2:16.9 seconds; Adama Roberts and Tisha Grimes both of PPYC settled for second and third in 2:37.2 seconds and 2:49.8 seconds.
Cleveland Forde continued to dominate in the distance events when he routed Dennis Horatio (35:43.6 seconds) in the men’s 10,000 meters in 34:07.9 seconds. Larry Josiah stalked behind in 41:48.2 seconds.
The youth boy’s Triple Jump was won by Clarence Greene in 11m97cm. Maurice Gibson was the winner of the male’s U-23 triple jump with his best leap of 12m93cm; Yoel Benjamin’s 12m05cm was second. The open male was won by Troy Williams (13m). Ryan Scott, winner of the men’s Long Jump was second with 12m91cm.
Meanwhile, the AAG fund raising raffle (in aid of raising funds for the U-23 Games team) was drawn yesterday afternoon after the conclusion of the trials. The following are the winning ticket number: 1955 (Plasma TV), 4158 (Refrigerator), 3885 (Mini Sony Music Set) and 2877 (Microwave).
Ticket numbers 2903, 2897, 2055 and 4431 are winners of consolations prizes.
Winners can uplift their prizes at the Olympic House.

---

---