Henry takes Prelude to Paradise sprint double

Alexxe Henry did the women sprint double at the Prelude to Paradise track and field meet, held at the Dwight Yorke Stadium over the weekend, to meet the standard for the 2023 Carifta Games in Bahamas from April 7-10.

The Zenith athlete flashed 12.00 seconds in the 100 metres and 24.37 seconds in the 200 metres, to eclipse the girls under 17 standards of (12.04) and (24.70), respectively.

Also making use of the final opportunity to address the NAAA selection panel, before the national Carifta trials from March 7-10, were Immani Matthews of Kaizen Panthers, Jinelle Campbell of Mason Hall Police Youth Club and Lalenil Grant of Mercury.

Matthews stretched his frame to a distance of 7.20 metres across the sand pit, to record a personal best and better the 6.37 Carifta requirements. Matthews also headlined the boys under-17 100 metres sprint in a time of 11.22 seconds.

Campbell, who has improved steadily from her season’s opener of 12.13 metres, landed the 4kg iron ball at 13.00m to establish daylight beyond the girls under-20 shot put standard of 11.79 metres.

Grant, who has been in a class of her own in the girls under-20 discus event, was a predictable winner with a best throw of 42.03 metres, to surpass the 39.57m standard.

RSS Phoenix showed their strength in the middle distances as Diyonte Thomas captured the boys under-17 400 metres in 51.07 seconds and Rasheeda Cave secured the women's 400m in 57.87 seconds.

Carlleyne Messiah also of RSS Phoenix outpaced his peers in the men's 800m, taking pole position in a time of two minutes, 2.47 seconds, and Sylina Jack of Mason Hall took the female version in two minutes, 37.05 seconds.

Zenith Athletic Club were impressive in the junior sprints. Jquan Douglas doubled-up in the boys under-15 sprints, taking the 100m in 12.07 seconds and 200m in 24.57 seconds.

Makayla Cupid topped the finalist in the girls under-15 100m, crossing the finish line in 12.52 seconds, to lead a Zenith sweep in the event. Her clubmate La’ Shiya Biggart won the girls under-15 metres in 25.90 seconds.

Kareem Gibson of Southern Track and Field Club, prevailed in the boys under-17, 200m, outsprinting a strong field to take gold in 22.87 seconds.

Among the advertised highlights was the sprinting prowess of Olympian Akanni Hislop. The Kaizen Panthers athlete did not have things his own way, as the script was shred in the men's open 100 metres.

After breezing through the preliminary round, Hislop was the hot ticket to repeat in the final, but Raheem Calman of Stallions showed that he was not fazed by the presence of the Olympian.

Calman had the best start out of the blocks and kept his composure to the finish line. Hislop made up real estate in the final 20 metres, but after an anxious wait on the clock, both men were timed at 10.54 seconds, with Calman given the edge.

There was no anxiety in the men's 200m final on Sunday, as Hislop displayed his superior class with a strong finish.

Calman kept pace with Hislop until the 100m bend, but Hislop's power and form in the 100m straight was evident, as he pulled away to win in 21.20 seconds. Calman followed in 21.66 seconds.

The event was staged by the combined efforts of Kaizen Panthers Athletic Club, RSS Phoenix Athletic Club and Run Tobago.

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