Kayamba Johnson, Ozia Danclair star for Blanchisseuse at North Region Hill Run

THE Blanchisseuse Secondary pair of Kayamba Johnson and Ozia Danclair made their school proud on November 15 when they earned a brilliant one-two finish in the Secondary Schools Track and Field's (SSTF) Middle-Distance League North Region Hill Run in St Augustine.

In a course which took the student-athletes through the Santa Margarita district and featured over 190 runners, Johnson and Danclair gave onlookers and exciting finish in their duel in the boys' under-17 category at the St Augustine Secondary compound as the former finished in 19 minutes and 17 seconds (19:17) to edge out his schoolmate, who clocked 19:27.

The impressive Mikael Serrette, who attends Arima Central Secondary, pushed Johnson and Danclair to the tape as he finished third overall in 19:30. Serrette's run was good enough to capture top spot in the boys' under-15 category, adding to his wins in the under-15 category of the North Region 5K and the Trinidad Cross-Country Run earlier in the season.

Serrette finished 11 minutes ahead of his closest challenger in the boys' under-15 category, as Belmont Secondary's Ryan Pemberton placed second in their age group in 30:32, with Serrette's Arima Central schoolmate Aaron Ramdial claiming third in 31:10.

Toco Secondary's Darreon Thom finished fourth overall in 21:42, following on the heels of his fifth-place finish in last month's North Region 5K.

Carifta 2024 bronze medallist Shian Lewis continued her fine form, as she finished seventh overall and copped the under-17 and overall female crowns in 23:57. The Success Laventille Secondary student also claimed first place in the female category at the North Region 5K.

The St Joseph's Convent PoS pair of Arya Siewrattan (27:28) and Alafia Charles (30:55) finished second and third respectively in the girls' under-17 category.

San Juan South Secondary's Nyla Kerr (24:55) and St Joseph's Convent PoS' Leah De Freitas (25:03) tried their best to keep up with Lewis', pace, and finished second and third respectively among the female competitors. Kerr topped the girls' under-15 category, with De Freitas settling for second spot. De Freitas had claimed the pole position in the girls' under-15 category of the North Region 5K.

Belmont Secondary's Adele Moore finished a distant third in the girls' under-15 category in 34:14.

There was a tight battle to the finish line in the boys' 17-and-over category, but St Augustine Secondary's Kujifi Negus (24:13) just got the nod on home turf – edging Holy Cross College's Adrian Barker (24:15) into second. St Augustine's Tyrese Henry (24:54) placed third.

Malabar Secondary's Sarah Rogers won the girls' 17-and-over category in 29:13, with St Augustine's Akeelah Campbell placing second in 29:37.

St Augustine claimed the prize of top school on the day as they accumulated 60 points, with Holy Cross racking up 44 points to take second spot.