By Morissa Lindsay
Christ Church Girls (CCG), Eden Lodge, West Terrace and Charles F. Broomes were all well represented at the 2022 National Sports Council Trevor Straughn Cross Country race for Primary Schools held today at the Wildey Gymnasium course.
The senior race comprised class three and four students in both girls and boys and they ran a distance of 2000m. Ten-year-old
Jendaya Burke of CCG took the top podium finish, cheered on by her proud mother Janelle Burke.
All eyes were on Jendaya Burke of Christ Church Girls as she stamped her authority to win the class three to four girls race.
From a field of 200 girls, Burke clocked a winning time of 8.42 as she closed in on her CCG schoolmate Janiya Thompson who led for most of the race but had to settle for second position in 8.52 as they were separated by only ten split seconds. Karissa Bowen of St. Albans Primary ran 9.01 and that was good enough for the bronze.
Out of 216 participants, the senior boys champion was Nathan Carew of West Terrace Primary with a fantastic run, clocking 7.40 as he completely destroyed the field. It was such a good showing from Carew who managed to keep up and overtake just at the end, one of Barbados’ talented long distance runners Jarad Mason who acted as the pace setter for all four races during the day and covered a distance of over 7000m.
The parents and gaurdians were fully involved in the action from the sidelines as they cheered on their child or ward.
Just a split second separated second and third place finishers in the class three to four boys when Thierry Thomas of Milton
Lynch Primary (8.06) edged Shakir
Alleyne of Bayley’s Primary (8.07) on the finish line.
The junior division consisting of class one and two students also impressed despite the humid weather as they ran 1600m. Among those that stood out was the victorious Zaniyah Bruce of Eden Lodge Primary in 8.03 as the next best finisher was Sierra Gittens of Hilda Skeene Primary in 8.28 and Nevaeh Winfield of CCG in 8.36. They raced in a group that had 183 registered participants for class one and two girls.
Another talented upcoming athlete in Joshua Parris of Charles F. Broomes also won in a time of 7.15 for the Gold medal which was excellent from the eight year old class two student who stamped his authority against a total of 175 boys.
Following home in second place was Silver medalist Rafinee Lovell of St. George Primary (7.31) and Yele Renwick- Williams of St. Gabriel’s School (7.33) got the Bronze.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
