South/Central impress at Relay Festival in wet conditions

A star-studded South/Central representative team obliterated a damp Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, track on May 18, and delivered one of the day’s most decisive performances at the Republic Bank/NAAATT Relay Festival, blazing to victory in 40.56 seconds in the boys Under-20 4x100-metre relay.

The quartet of Khareem Solomon, Kadeem Chinapoo, Sydney Gibbs and Hakeem Chinapoo surged away from the field to secure maximum points in the marquee sprint relay event for their division.

They beat North/East’s B team of Samuel Stewart, Isaiah Mahabir, Jeremiah Nanton and Tyler Wong Wing, who ended in 42.07.

Solomon and the Chinapoo brothers, returned to the track a few hours later in the boys Under-20 4x200m event, joining Jahafari Farrel, to claim top honours with another victory, clocking 1:26.67. They finished narrowly ahead of the North/East representative team comprising Enoch Joseph, Giovanni Bobb-Semple, Jeremiah St John and Trevaughn Stewart, who finished in 1:27.04.

Their dominant showing was part of a full day’s programme featuring a range of club, zone and open relays for both junior and senior athletes.

The festival was staged under a yellow level adverse weather alert, with heavy rainfall causing major delays and threatening track conditions throughout the afternoon.

Despite the interruptions, organisers pressed ahead, adjusting the schedule as needed, and athletes responded with determined performances on a wet surface.

In the mixed 4x800m Open relay, North/West Zone claimed the first title of the day. Keiel Samuel, Aniqah Bailey, Omare Thompson and Shian Lewis combined for a winning time of 8:38.33, ahead of Tobago’s Darion Whiteman, Jayden Alexander, Oshea Cummings and Kimmyah Jack (9:00.91).

The Mixed 800m Sprint Medley Open was closely contested, with North/East ‘B’ (Hannah Rivers, Kayla Charles, Bobb-Semple, Michael Joseph) edging the main North/East team by just 0.07 seconds in 1:36.76.

At club level, Zenith Athletics Club dominated the younger age groups, capturing the boys Under-11 4x100m (57.69) through Jaydon Stephens, Kenai Reid, Qualiek Wilson and Kayden Young, and the girls Under-13 4x100m (55.70) with Meagan Ryan, Xia Thomas, Xaria Tobias and Jeniya Waldron.

North/East Zone displayed sprinting depth in the girls Under-15 4x100m, where Yanique Stewart, Kaley Wiltshire, Destiny Arnold and Jael Peters clocked 49.06 to beat South/Central (49.97). In the boys Under-15 equivalent, South/Central’s Michai Ransome, Elijah Derrick, Ronaldo Desilva and Issaiah Teesdale claimed gold in 44.99.

Among the Under-17 girls, the North/East combination of Rivers, Jenique McLaren, Jennia McLaren and Mikayla Granderson secured a 47.13 clocking in their 4x100m final. The North/East boys Under-17 team of Alex Seepersad, Nickell Gill, Tequan John and Ayden Davidson also sprinted to gold in 42.80.

In the men’s 4x100m open final, South/Central’s Danoyon Alexis, Cyrus Charles, Naeem Nelson and Raheem Mc Calman produced a 41.29 finish to lead a competitive field.

The relays continued through persistent showers. Tobago’s quartet of Moses McConney, Kegel Chance, Jadeon Dick and Danion Williams placed second in 42.83, narrowly ahead of North/West’s Jaylon Serjeant, Dillon Bernard, Kyrell Thomas and Matthew Graham in 43.10.

The day also saw distance events completed in wet conditions. In the men’s 3,000m open, Nicholas Romany (TT Road Runners) took the win in 8:36.06, outpacing Cougars’ Tafari Waldron by the slenderest of margins (8:36.91). Romany and Waldron are training partners.

The meet’s final events, the men’s 4x200m and women’s 4x200m relay, produced shock and excitement.

The women’s relay saw another tight finish with South/Central ‘B’ team (Desirae Campbell, Diamond Paul, Laquesha Robley and Tianna Richardson), clocking a win in 1:43.04 – a mere 0.36 seconds ahead of perhaps the more favoured North/West team comprising Karessa Kirton, Technique Vincent, Jada Jones and Malana Patrick. The other South Central team had a good shot for the gold medal, placing third in 1:43.66.

The men’s equivalent (Shiloh Taylor, Deandre John, Brandon Mosengue and Anton Griffith) also helped South/Central 'B' secure a stunning win, with some room to spare, clocking 1:28.93. North/West’s Matthew Graham, Dillon Bernard, Kyrell Thomas and Nickili Lewis clocked 1:30.79 for second place.