Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Defending Champs DHQ assume early lead
– Men’s High Jump thrills on opening day
By Edison Jefford
All the stars shone as bright as they could have on the opening day of the Guyana Defence Force Inter-Division Athletics Championships, but it was the fierce competition that came down to the deciding tie-break in the Men’s High Jump that sent tongues waging.
Technique? No Way! But Madainey Humphrey, representing First Infantry Battalion, was effective, claiming the Men’s High Jump title on Day One of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Inter-Division Athletics Championships yesterday at Base Camp Ayangana Ground.
The organisers could not have asked for better weather, and as such, the competition prevailed at the Base Camp Ayangana Ground yesterday with Madainey Humphrey and James Washington producing a scintillating contest in the Men’s High Jump, which has returned to the list of events in 2012 for the Inter-Services Track and Field Championships.
After the expiration of all their attempts at 1.70m, Humphrey and Washington had similar paths to the height, prompting officials to declare a tie that had to be broken with a jump-off at a height that both athletes consented to, which was 1.60m. Humphrey prevailed over Washington and had the better record for the gold medal. Kevin Maynard (1.60m) was third.
Following the completion of the event, defending champions, Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had assumed the lead with 75 points; First Infantry Battalion and 21 Artillery was second on 46 points; 31 Special Forces and Training Corps was third on 31 points; Base Camp Ayangana was fourth on 30 points while Base Camp Stephenson and Air Corps was fifth with 25 points to close the first day of competition.
Cleveland Forde set the early tone for the completed finals, coming off his AinLim 10km win to ease to the 5000m victory for DHQ in a time of 15:19.8. First Infantry’s Tyshon Bentick came in second with 17:25.1 while Jamaul Chisholm (18:22.1) was third.
Letitia Myles, representing 31 Special Forces won the Women’s Long jump with a leap of 4.90m with DHQ’s Trimaine Sampson finishing second with 4.29m and Tanisha Dorway third with her mark of 4.00m for Base Camp Stephenson.
DHQ Quacy Payne and Winston Haynes placed first and second respectively in the Men’s Long Jump with Payne leaping to 6.40m and Haynes 6.22m. B. Wallers was third with 6.03m. Pablino Cupiolo threw the Shot Putt 11.32m to give Base Camp Ayangana a win in the male event while C. Coppin was second with 10.88m and Troy Lewis (10.78m) third.
Defence Headquarters continued to enjoy a good day when Ann Doris won the Shot Putt with the best throw of 9.10m. Joycelyn Scott was second with 8.15m and Kim Daly third with 8.14m, both of the latter athletes represented First Infantry Battalion.
In other events of the day, Letitia Myles set up a 100m final with Tiffany Smith after both ran the top mark of 12.4 seconds in separate Heats yesterday. Akeem Stewart was the top qualifier in an impressive 100m Men’s line-up with 10.4 seconds. Patrick King was the next best qualifier with his mark of 10.6 while Davin Fraser and Winston Haynes ran 10.7 and 10.9 seconds respectively in their Heats to become the leading qualifiers in that race.
Darren Henry with 49.6 seconds was the top qualifier in the Men’s 400m with Leslain Baird who is better known for his Javelin throwing impressing with 49.9 seconds. King qualified third in his pet event with 51.5 seconds, setting up a thrilling final day on Friday.
The keen rivalry continues today with Day Two that include the male and female Discuss, 200m Heats, Triple Jump Final, 800m Medley Final, 1500m Medley Final and 3000m Women Final at 10am at the Base Camp Ayangana Ground.
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