The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the cross country season now in full swing, the Kid's Athletics Club returned to the Bahamas Hotrod Association's racing facility to stage their event on Saturday.

Despite the inclement weather that left the course a little under water, the competition was fiercely contested as the various clubs split up the victories in the various age groups. "The competition was awesome. We had a really good turnout," said Sherry Francis, head coach of Kid's Athletics. "We had almost 300 kids from the kids that supported it.

"I noticed that the kids competition has improved since the last time we had one about a month ago, so I think we will have some very good performances during the track season next year."

Francis said although they had some problems with the water on the course, she said it didn't matter because they competed in a very safe environment.

Stephen Murray of the Striders assisted his sister in organising the event. He said the whole purpose is to try and improve the distance running to the standard that it was when they were competing.

"Hurry Murray is doing the distance. Ashland (Murray, their older brother) is doing the distance with his kids," Stephen Murray said. "But it ain't easy because the kids today don't want to put in the time doing morning and afternoon sessions."

But he said the course, which was 200 metres long, worked out very well for the competitors, including the under-six division that just ran one lap covering 400 metres. They increased the mileage with each age group finishing with the open one-mile or four laps. "It's better because they are always in sight and we could be cheering them on and encourage them," he added. "So it was more interacting rather than just sending them out to do a mile or 800m and you can't see them until they are finishing."

Caria Murphy of Hurry Murray carted off the title in the girls' under-8 division with Alena Pinder of Kid's Athletics second and Takashi Seymour of the Road Runners coming in third.

Cordell Munroe of Kid's Athletics was the winner of the under-8 boys' division. Taven St Louis of the T-Bird was second and Cameron Hendfield of Kid's Athletics got third.

"The competition was good. I come first and I lap somebody," a seven-year-old grade two student at Temple Christian. "I felt good. I was the star for my school."

Azaria Marshall of X-Tream won the girls' under-10 division. J'Kaiyah Rolle of the Road Runners was second and Britisha Kemp of Hurry Murray came third.

Huyler Lully of the $-D Stallions won the boys under-10 division. Hurry Murray teammates Godfrey Brown and Gabrielle Johnson got second and third respectively.

Deandra Sears of Hurry Murray won the girls' under-12 division. Her teammate Stacyann Humes was second and Nya Wright of Kid's Athletics was third.

Christopher Humes led a 1-2-3 sweep for Hurry Murray in the boys under-12 division. Raymond Winder was second and Breck Kemp came in third.

Nathan Duncan Jr, representing the T-Bird Flyers, was the winner of the boys under-14 division.

Christopher Santus of 4-D Stallions got second place over his teammate Takal Davis. "It wasn't really any competition. It was easy," said Duncan, a 13-year-old SC McPherson ninth grader who ran away from the field. "The race wasn't hard. It was easy for me. I just try to run for time."

Rowlia Joseph was the winner of the girls' under-16 division. Her Road Runners teammate Nicole Smith came in second and Davia Wright of Another Level was third.

"It was easy because I ran the same thing last year and I was keeping my pace and breathing easy to stay in front," said Joseph, a 14 year old 10th grader at CV Bethel.

"It felt good. I ran the second course last year when I got sick. I just trained harder and I was more determined to come out and win this year."

Anthon Pratt led a 1-2-3 sweep for the Road Runners in the boys under-16 division. Jackson Ozias was second and Cephas Whylly got third.

"I learn how to run it. I got out faster," said Pratt, a 15-year-old Queen's College 10th grader. "I got second the last time I did this course, so I wanted to win. I'm glad that I did."

Alison Taylor of the Sunburners won the girls open division. Her teammate Gabriele Gibson was second and Alicia Clarke of the Striders was third.

"This was my second time doing this. It was pretty good," said Taylor, an 11th grader at Kingsway Academy. "I just wanted to control my breathing, keep up and have a strong finish.

"The competition was pretty good, but I finished pretty good. I had a good race."

Mookie Rolle of the T-Bird Flyers won the boys open division. His teammates Devonta Newbold and Charles Butler came in second and third respectively.

"This was my second cross country for the year. In the Silver Lightning cross country, it was difficult and I actually didn't finish," said Rolle, an 18-year-old 12th grader at Queen's College. "So what I did, I trained harder in the morning and go back to speed work out in the afternoon.

"This was just a mile, so I knew I had put in the work every day, so it just came easy for me. I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to complete this one. I'm looking forward to the Bay Street mile next week. I want to win that too."

Up next is the Bay Street Mile that will be held on Saturday, starting from the Straw Market on Bay Street and ending up at the National Beach Soccer facility near the Sis Sydney Poitier Bridge.

Following that, the Thelma Gibson cross country championship will return to the Bahamas Hodrod facilities on Saturday, December 2 and on Saturday, December 9, X-Treme Athletics will hold their cross country championship at Goodsman Bay, starting at 9 am.