Tobago's RSS Phoenix reign at Juvenile Champs

RISING Super Stars (RSS) Phoenix of Tobago won the crown at the NGC National Association of Athletics Administrations Juvenile Championships, but the Cougars athletes showed their pedigree in the sprint events during the two-day meet at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, on June 21 and 22. It was the fourth juvenile title for RSS Phoenix.

The top three clubs were miles ahead of the rest as RSS Phoenix, Zenith and Cougars all ended with over 300 points. RSS Phoenix won the crown with 465 points, followed by Zenith (365 points) and Cougars (301.5 points).

Fourth-placed Lambeau Alliance were a distant fourth with 123 points.

RSS Phoenix's Gloria Henry, as she has done all year, proved she is one of the most talented youth athletes in TT. She won multiple events demonstrating quality in both track and field events.

Henry bagged gold in the girls Under-13 400m event in one minute, 01.50 seconds (1:01.50), almost five seconds ahead of second-placed Analeez Mussio (Redline International). Mussio placed third in 1:06.14, just edging Naomi Phillip of Cougars who stopped the clock in 1:06.21.

Henry also won gold medals in the girls Under-13 long jump (5.30m) and in the girls Under-13 300m hurdles (51.19 seconds). The other athletes were no match for Henry as she won all three events easily.

Cougars swept the Under-13 sprint events. In the girls Under-13 100m final, Phillip won the event in 12.60 seconds, just ahead of Kereen Moses of Lambeau Alliance who was second in 12.61. Little separated the top three as Destiny Arnold of BURN snatched third place in 12.69.

Phillip completed the double with gold in the girls Under-13 200m dash in 26.66. Keniah Tommy of ZC Athletic Club finished second in 27.48 and Moses was third in 27.75.

Kaseem Du Verney also did the double for Cougars, winning the boys Under-13 100m and 200m titles. He won the 100m sprint in 12.58, comfortably ahead of Jayon Edwards of Zenith (12.91) and Daniel Alfred of Neon Wolves (13.09).

Du Verney had to give it his all to capture first place in the 200m final. It was a close contest between the Cougars athlete and Jehu Edwards of Cheetahs with the former emerging victorious in 26.27. Edwards was a close second in 26.33 and Alfred copped his second bronze medal with a time of 27.32.

Some of the other athletes who won multiple events were A'Kyah Ottley of Mason Hall Police Youth Club (girls Under-11 80m, girls Under-11 150m); Ayele James of Zenith (boys Under-13 800m, boys Under-13 1,000m); and Cheenai Moore of Cheetahs (girls Under-13 1,000m, girls Under-13 800m).