The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ONE Carifta standard was achieved, four records were established and the CR Walker Knights opened a 200-point margin on their nearest rival - the CV Bethel Stingrays - as they chase their ninth straight title. Those were among the headlines posted as the first day of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Senior High Track and Field Championships came to a close yesterday. The two-day meet, which follows on the heels of the GSSSA Junior Championships, is all set to be completed Friday at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Jameko Cartwright, representing the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, clocked 49.85 seconds to win the intermediate boys' 400 metres, well ahead of team-mate Shontoin Pratt (52.92). The performance by 16-year-old Cartwright surpassed the qualifying time of 50.00 for the Carifta Games in Hamilton, Bermuda, over the Easter holiday weekend. It also erased the championship record of 50.97 that was done by O'Jay Ferguson in 2009. Cartwright was also a double winner in the 100 in 11.05. The other two records that fell came on the field. In the under-17 boys' shot put, CR Walker's Drexel McIntosh threw 15.03 metres to erase the mark of 13.54 that was set by Jefferson Johnson in 1991. Lenzel Rahming, also of CR Walker, was second with 12.89m. And CR Walker's Deangelo Nottage won the senior boys' shot put with a heave of 14.16m, eclipsing the meet record of 14.08m set by Elvardo Carey in 2009. There was one new event this year - the intermediate boys' 110 hurdles - that saw CR Walker's Henry Wallace pull off the victory in 15.56. The time will be recorded as a record. CR Walker, taking the lead in all four divisions, accumulated a total of 416 points compared to CV Bethel's 220.67. The RM Bailey Pacers are sitting in third with 186.50. CR Walker's head coach Floyd Armbrister said that while eight straight titles up to last year was just great, nine would be just fine as his Knights get set to polish off the floating trophy. "This right now is almost a shocker because normally on the first day, it's a close race," Armbrister said. "Normally this is our slow day. Our best day is our last day." With the lead they accomplished Thursday, Armbrister said it "will have to snow" today if anybody has a chance of catching them because their stronger events are ahead of them. "All of the middle distance races are our strength," he said. "We won all the 1,500s. We came first and second in those. We are going to try and break some (more) records (in the middle distance races)." Armbrister said they are not motivated by the points or their opponents but rather for them to "bring the fire and keep it burning" as they step it up. CV Bethel's coach Rupert Gardiner almost conceded defeat. "I feel great with what I'm at right now," he said. "Opening day, I think we performed very well. But CR Walker is a very good team. They are well-coached. To make up more than 100 points against a team like CR Walker ain't easy. I guess we will just have to try and hold onto second place because they will be tough to beat." Some of the other winners yesterday were: * CR Walker's Diansa Armbrister in the intermediate girls 100 in 13.08 * CR Walker's Jeogett Williams in the intermediate girls 400 in 1:03.63 * CR Walker's Ashley Woods in the intermediate girls 1,500 in 5:51.06 * CR Walker's Vasti Mortimer in the intermediate girls 100 hurdles in 17.39 * CR Walker's Rhoneisha Johnson in the senior girls 100 in 12.36 * CR Walker's Rhoneisha Johnson in the senior girls 400 in 59.61 * CR Walker's Nevelicia Martin in the senior girls 1,500 in 5:36.46 * CV Bethel's Angel Miller in the senior girls 100 hurdles in 18.46 * Doris Johnson's Cresy Dussard in the senior boys 100 in 11.14 * CR Walker's Ashley Riley in the senior boys 400 in 48.98 * CR Walker's Adeelet Elyse in the senior boys 1,500 in 4:33.65 * CR Walker's Adeelet Elyse in the senior boys 5,000 in 218:04.10 * CC Sweeting's Josuha Stubbs in the senior boys 110 hurdles in 16.06 * Anatol Rodgers' Shonte Deveaux in the intermediate girls long jump with 4.87m * Government High's Sheryia Ferguson in the intermediate girls discus with 29.80m * Anatol Rodgers' Oralnique Burrows in the intermediate girls javelin with 25.13m * CR Walker's Xavion Albury in the intermediate boys long jump with 5.90m * CV Bethel's Angel Miller in the senior girls triple jump with 10.03m * Government high's Lashanda Deveaux in the senior girls high jump with 1.45m * CI Gibson's Precious Aranah in the senior girls discus with 30.45m * RM Bailey's Raunice Butler in the senior girls javelin with 28.84m * CR Walker's Ricardo Sweeting in the senior boys triple jump with 13.50m CR Walker's Ricardo Sweeting in the senior boys high jump with 1.85m * CV Bethel's Eneas Campbell in the senior boys pole vault with 2.43m * Anatol Rodgers' Michaela Bowe in the intermediate girls high jump with 1.37m