The most outstanding athletes who proudly represented their schools at the recently concluded PowerAde-Dasani Barbados Secondary Schools Athletics Championship (BSSAC), were this afternoon recognized for their efforts during a well-organized awards ceremony held at the Queen’s College.
In the presence of several principals, teachers and various sponsors that helped to make BSSAC a success, the top performers led by the most outstanding senior athletes Josiah Parris of the St. Michael School and Shelanie Augustin of Combermere received their trophies and other prizes.
Parris stood out in the boy’s open 200m winning in 21.27 seconds on the Ryan Brathwaite track at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex where BSSAC took place this year. Augustin, who is also a national football player, threw 13.37m in the Under-17 Girls shot put in what was an excellent showing.
Shelanie Augustin of Combermere received her award for most outstanding senior female athlete after excelling in the Jennifer and Anthony Jones Zone.
The most outstanding junior athletes were Geovani Lee of Coleridge and Parry and Tia Applewhaite of Combermere. Lee was incredible in the Under-15 Boys 100m while Applewhaite delivered a great performance in the sand pit competing in the Under-15 Girls long jump
This year BSSAC took a different format where they had a zonal championship as opposed to the normal structure where the individual schools would compete amongst themselves.
And interestingly, all four outstanding athletes competed in the Jennifer and Anthony Jones Zone. The Jones Zone did well to capture the overall title against the Geoffrey Burke and Peter Vaughan Zones respectively.
For their performances, they each received a trophy compliments Powerade and a voucher for dinner at the Barbecue Barn thanks to Chefette Restaurants.
The most outstanding distance athlete was the talented Daniel Duncan of the Christ Church Foundation School and Peter Vaughan Zone. He was given a gear bag thanks to BSL Athletics for his efforts.
As expected, the Jennifer and Anthony Jones Zone swept top honours in both areas of the track and field. On the track, they amassed 428 points in the boys and 388 in the girls while in the field the boys once again stood out with 139.50 and the girls 135 points respectively.
The BSSAC honourees for this year were those after whom the respective zones were named. They each received a championship shield thanks to title sponsors PowerAde.
For the second year, the Made It Against the Odds Foundation partnered with BSSAC to donate trophies to the winners of the Under-17 Girls and Boys as well as the Under-20 Girls and Boys 800m. Those athletes who won are Deneisha Forde and Daniel Duncan of the Foundation School as they represented the Peter Vaughan Zone in the Under-17 Division.
While for the Under-20s, the 800m champion was Shonte Seale of Springer Memorial in the Geoffrey Burke Zone and Jahleel Armstrong of Combermere in the Jennifer and Anthony Jones Zone.
(From left) Sharifa Nicholls, Under-13 girls champion, Deneisha Forde Under-17 female winner and Daniel Duncan the most outstanding long distance athlete are all from the Christ Church Foundation School.
Shonte Seale of Springer Memorial School won the Under-20 Girls 800m award in the Geoffrey Burke Zone.
This award recognizes male and female athletes who despite challenges Made It Against the Odds and was in memory of the late Lateisha Gilkes, a past BSSAC and national athlete who passed away.
This year’s male and female recipients were Joshua Lorde of St. George Secondary School and Zoe Thomas of the Coleridge and Parry School.
During this afternoon proceedings, the mistress of ceremony and principal of Coleridge and Parry, Sonja Goodridge, made a special announcement that BSSAC will be establishing an annual scholarship for two primary school athletes in memory of the late Jamarion Mapp, a former student of the Elliott Belgrave Primary and Alexandra School.
There were also individual champions for each age group and in the Under-13 category, Sharifa Nicholls of Foundation School with 20 points and Josiah Gill of Queen’s College also with 20 topped that division.
The Under-15s standouts were Ethan McCollin of the St. Michael School in the boys scoring 18 points, while in the girls Aniya Nurse of Alleyne School along with Tia Applewhaite of Combermere School amassed 20 each.
For the Under-17s, Kadia Rock of Alexandra School and Deneisha Forde of Foundation School tied on 20 points for the girls. Similarly, in the boys’ contest, Daniel Duncan of Foundation School and Micah Blair of the St. Michael School accounted for 20 points each.
In the girl’s open Shadae Worrell of the St. Michael School took centre stage with 20 points and her schoolmate Josiah Parris scored 18 points in the boy’s open.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
The Under-20 girls champion was Shadae Worrell of the St. Michael School as she represented the Jennifer and Anthony Jones Zone.
Kadia Rock of the Alexandra School tied for the Under-17 Girls title, hailing from the Peter Vaughan Zone.
