Mahkaya Mahon leads 'Pres Sando' charge in SSTF South/Central Hill Run

MAHKAYA Mahon led a top three finish for Presentation College (San Fernando) when Secondary Schools Track and Field (SSTF) organisation hosted its Middle-Distance League South/Central 6.5K Hill Run in Rio Claro on October 24.

Originally scheduled to be a 5K run, Newsday understands the event was shifted to a 6.5K run due to "circumstances out of the SSTF's control."

Running in the boys' over-17 category, Mahon had firm control of the proceedings and crossed the line first at Rio Claro West Secondary to be adjudged the overall winner in 27 minutes, 21 seconds (27:21) – beating over 200 runners to the top spot. Mahon's schoolmate Shane Bissoon (27:36) finished a close second, with Jahan Lue Shue (29:17) finishing in third to complete Presentation's sweep of the top three overall places, as well as the over-17 category.

Rio Claro East's Jaedan Richards (30:16) finished fourth overall and copped the top spot in the boys' under-17 category, with Princes Town West's Jadon Marshall (31:23) finishing sixth overall and second in the boys' under-17 category.

Williamsville Secondary's Ryan Pascall (33:58) won the boys' under-15 category and grabbed 12th spot overall. Pascall prevented "Pres" from adding to their sweep from the over-17 category, as he edged the Presentation pair of Matthias Titus (34:22) and Zakai Victor (35:33) into second and third respectively in the under-15 category.

The students from Holy Faith Convent Penal were in a dominant mood, and they took top honours across all the female categories.

Kayla Hospedales led the Holy Faith charge, and she finished the Hill Run in 36:41 to finish as the overall female winner as she topped the under-17 category. Palo Seco Secondary's Nakayla Gordon (44:54) was a distant second in the under-17 category, with Rio Claro East's Alisha Ali (48:51) finishing in third.

Holy Faith's Jada Medina (45:33) was the third-fastest girl on the day, and her time was good enough to top the under-15 category. Medina was in a class of her own in her age group, with Tableland Secondary's Mariah Charles (52:06) and Barrackpore West's Lucianna Titus (54:32) accounting for the other places in the top three.

Holy Haith's dominance was underscored in the over-17 category as the pair of Jade Roberts (46:58) and Bridgette Bellamy (48:22) managed a one-two finish for their school, with Cowen Hamilton's Jada Hercules placing third.

Presentation finished the meet as the most successful school with 66 points, with Holy Faith (49 points) and Cowen Hamilton (48 points) rounding off the top three.

The next event on the SSTF calendar is scheduled for November 12 with the Tobago Cross Country event. The North region's Hill Run is scheduled for November 15.