The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Flying Angels Track and Field Academy from Toronto, Canada, joined the return of the St Jago Track Club from Jamaica, in adding the excitement to the Star Trackers Track Club’s 11th annual Star Performers Track Classic on Saturday.

Their performances, coupled by the efforts from Barbados and the local teams from throughout the Bahamas at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, has left sponsor JR McDonald smiling from ear to ear. “We had a great meet today. The Canadian group came down and they really wanted to show off themselves,” he said. “We had a good time. We didn’t think we would have anybody from the US, but a team from Miami was on a cruise ship with about eight athletes and they got into the meet as well.

“It’s been good, the kids have all had a good time and we had some really good performances. If you missed it, you will have to wait until next year. I know we are committed to continuing to work with the Star Trackers because we like what we see they are doing with these athletes and those in from the Family Islands, the US and the Caribbean. It’s just been a great experience for us.”

Meet director Dave Charlton, head coach of the Star Trackers, said they couldn’t ask for a better meet. “The meet went very well. The officials did a fantastic job, the athletes were competing like clock-work, one race after the other,” said Charlton, who noted that they had over 1,200 athletes registered.

Charlton admitted that the visiting athletes helped to increase the excitement generated by the athletes. “The Flying Angels were very impressive,” he said.

“We also had a team from the Turks and Caicos, Barbados and the Jamaicans were in town. They all brought a lot of intensity here to our meet.”

The Flying Angels, according to head coach Earl Letford, had a team of 18 athletes who all competed for the first time outside of Canada and they felt they all gave a good account of themselves.

“It was a pleasant experience. The crowd was wonderful. There was a lot of electricity in the stands and we saw a lot of good performances all the way from the kids up to the adults,” he said. “So we are very pleased to have been invited to come here and compete.”

Topping the performances for the Flying Angels was Tevianna Jones in the girls under-14 100m in 12.99. She bested team-mate Gayla Brianna (12.99) and Fast forward’s Tylar Lightbourne (13.12).

Gayla, however, won the 200 in 26.97, followed by team-mate Esther Abule (27.15) and Club Monica’s Raniesha Colebrook (27.30).

Keilando Goburn, head coach of the five-member team from St. Jago, said they are back for the fourth consecutive year to build on their relationship with the Star Trackers, who normally come to Jamaica to compete in their meets.

“It’s basically a training day for us because all of the girls are doing three and four events,” he said. “If we were back home, we would have had a meet today, so they are basically doing the same thing as the rest of the team are doing at home.

“We just wanted to take these girls out of their comfortable zone because when they compete at home, they know everybody. They don’t know anybody here, so it’s a different story. They know that they have to compete.”

Leading the way for St Jago was Safiya Thompson, the winner of the girls under-18 100 metres hurdles in 14.55 seconds over Club Monica’s Denvaughn Whymns (14.76) and Alexander Storr (15.13).

Another Jamaican, Shanice Reid won the under-18 girls 100m in 12.13 over Club Monica’s Jenae Ambrose (12.24) and Blayre Catelyn (12.25), who was unattached. Reid also doubled up in the 200m (24.62) over Ambrose (24.75) and Catalyn (25.02).

St. Jago’s Shacquera Wright took the 200m in 25.34 just ahead of her team-mate Carla Rowe (25.75) and Striders’ Shazell Rolle (26.29).

Also, St. Jago’s Tiffany Sabado-Worrell out-distanced the field to take the under-18 girls 400m in 58.39. Lakeisha Taylor, unattached, was seconf in 1:00.41 and Club Monica’s Gianna Conliffe (1:00.89) was third.

St. Jago’s under-20 girls 4 x 100m relay team posted victory in 41.01.

Barbados also made their presence felt as Mario Burke sped to victory in the under-18 boys 100m in 10.65. His nearest rival was Swift’s Naim Burke in 10.85. Sun Blazers’ Kinard Rolle was third in 11.14.

Burke was a double winner, taking the 200m in 21.59. Club Monica’s Donovan Storr (22.47) was second and Alliance Athletics’ Dominick Lightbourne (22.68) got third.

Levi Cadogan from Barbados won the under-20 boys 100m in 10.51.

Ambassador’s Deedro Clarke (10.55) was second and Club Monica’s Ian Kerr (10.75) got third. And in the under-28 boys 400m hurdles, Rivaldo Leacock (53.64) won the title for Barbados over Star Trackers’ Mikhail Bethell (1:02.16.

In the marquee event on the field, Olympian Ryan Ingraham failed to clear a height in the men’s high jump that was won by Jamal Wilson with 2.20m (7-2 3/4). Troy Bullard came in third with 2.00m.

“I was sitting down a little too long and on my first approach, I felt a little twit in my hamstring,” Ingraham said. “But it’s small things.

I’M not feeling it now, but after sitting down for so long when I tried to jump, I just couldn’t do anything.”

It’s the first time the the former basketball player who took the event by storm two years ago, has bombed out of a competition.

Wilson, in securing the victory, said he expect that Ingraham will bounce back. But for now, he’ just elated to be competing at this high level again.

“I’m very proud of the performance. I had a very rough off-season, so coming out at 2.20m in my first meet, I can’t ask for more,” Wilson said. “I think the long lay-up up to us competing slowed things down and that was why I think Ryan had some of the problems that he did.”