Records tumble at Leacock’s meet

By Morissa Lindsay

Combermere School stood out as overall winners with 295 points on the second and final day of the 2022 Tempo Sports Powerade-Dasani Rivaldo Leacock Championship, which concluded yesterday at the Lester Vaughan Secondary School.

There were eight competing schools this year and the girls and boys from Waterford came out on top having won several individual races in the 100m, 200m and 400m. They edged Alleyne School scoring 277 points in second position and Coleridge and Parry tallied 269 to finish in third place.

CARIFTA athlete and sprinter Kishawna Niles was among those who stood on the grass field track for Combermere School. Niles clocked a record time of 12.66 seconds as she staved off keen competition from second place Aniya Nurse of Alleyne (13.01) in the senior girls 100m.

Aragorn Straker of Combermere School won the senior boys 100m showdown in 11.59 seconds with his closest challenger being Reginaldo Spencer of St. George Secondary, running 12.01 seconds.

Spencer however got sweet revenge in the senior boys 200m when he produced a record time of 23.14 seconds ahead of the two Combermerians, Nathan Brathwaite (23.30) and Nikkolai Kennedy (23.72).

The 100m for Under-15s was dominated by Alexus Mascoll of Lester Vaughan in 13.94 seconds while Josiah Gill of Queen’s College – fourth overall on 200 points – captured the males in 12.83 seconds.

In the First Form category, Keshonna Clarke of Coleridge and Parry clocked 14.58 seconds to win the girls. While Micaiah Brathwaite of the St. Michael School – finished sixth in the standings on 162 points behind fifth place Lester Vaughn on 190 – set a new record of 13.33 seconds to go under 13.70 seconds previously held by Jayden Cumming in the boys.

The 200m was also exciting with class performances from Nya Browne of Queen’s College in the senior girls’ race. That particular clash had five young ladies that destroyed 27.09 seconds previously held by Brieanna Boyce.

Browne led the record run as she registered 24.97 seconds for first positon while staving off a determined Aniya Nurse of Alleyne in pursuit but was forced to settle for second position (25.11) and Aaliyah Agard of Alexandra (26.01) was third. Tonique Flemming of Combermere School was also in the record mix (26.15) as well as Chrisaria Ballantyne of the St. Michael School (26.70).

For the Under-15 age group, Krystal Bentham of Combermere crossed the finish line first in 27.05 seconds in the 200m. While in the boys 200m equivalent, Azari Edey of Alleyne stood out in record time (25.49) as well as Jazzair Best of Queen’s College (25.59) ran faster than 25.73 once held by Kriston Nurse. Edey won the Under-15 Boys 400m as well in 56.75 and accomplished the double.

The St. Michael School swept the top two places in the First Form Girls 200m thanks to Sarama James (29.28) and Oyindamola Bulura (29.45) while Alanna Bradshaw of Coleridge and Parry (30.02) was third. Bradshaw won the 400m in 65.69 for her school.

Meanwhile, Danari Griffith of Queen’s College stamped his authority in 28.02 seconds for a new record in the First Form boys 400m.

Records just kept tumbling as Yazid Daniel of Combermere showed his class in the senior boys 400m race with an impressive 49.44 seconds and eclipsed the previous time of 51.11 set by Savion Hoyte in 2020. On the other hand the senior girls 400m competition was lacking as 60.50 was the best showing by eventual winner Aaliyah Agard of Alexandra.

Chanecia Bryan of Combermere set a 400m record for Under-15 Girls in 59.39 and broke 61.60 belonging to Aniya Nurse. The First Form boys 400m went to Danico Scott of St. George Secondary clocking 64.63 for the top podium finish.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb