The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FAST Forward’s versatile Koi Adderley was the latest athlete to post a CARIFTA Games qualifying performance.

Her performance came Saturday during Road Runners Track Club’s Dianne Lynn Thompson Memorial Time Trials Classic at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium where she matched the under-17 girls’ high jump standard of 1.62 metres. Her nearest rival was Andros Heats’ Tylah Pratt with 1.45m.

“It was good, I was a little scared of the wind because it was windy today,” said Adderley. “But I listened to my coach and I had faith in God and my training and that was what pulled me through. “My goal is to jump at least 1.70m,” she added.

Adderley, looking forward to making her first appearance at CARIFTA, also won the 400m hurdles in 1:08.97, but was off the standard as she won over Redline Athletics’ Aydin Bullard, who did 1:19.42. Adderley’s personal best in the event is 1:06.50. “I just need to focus on training and do the things my coach tells me to do,” said the 15-year-old 10th grader at International School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology.

In what was expected to be an exciting under-20 girls 400m hurdles, two competitors, including Redline Athletics’ Lacarthea Cooper, went down clearing the second flight of 10 hurdles.

Fast Forward’s Kasha Neilly went on to win the race in 1:07.00.

Redline’s head coach Tito Moss said there was some concern for Cooper, who sprained her right ankle and after a lengthy time on the field, had to be escorted off on a wheelchair and taken to the hospital to get further medical attention.

Cooper, who was named to the 2020 Olympic team, but didn’t get to travel to Tokyo, Japan after she came down with a case of COVID-19, earlier won the 200m in 24.91.

Her team-mate D’Arjha Davis got second in 26.13.

Davis won the 100m in 12.71, while Star Trackers’ Amari Pratt was second in 12.90. Pratt also got third in the 200m in 26.33.

Fast Forward’s Paige Archer took the 400m in 1:00.39. Spirit of Excellence’s Kristr Ford doubled up in the under-17 girls 400m in 59.07 and the 800m in 2:36.00. Una Thompson’s Jamiah Nabbie won the 100m in 12.85; Redline Athletics’ Nya Wright took the 200m in 25.68; 3 PA Stallions’ Jasmine Mackey came through in 5:28.12 in the 1,500m and Sunblazers’ Essence Sands ran 16.25 in the 100m hurdles.

Nabbie also won the long jump with 5.00m and Blue Chips Athletics dominated the throwing events with Danielle Nixon taking the shot put (11.37m); Cailyn Johnson in the discus (34.95m) and Taysha Stubbs in the javelin (31.50m).

Roadrunners’ Sabriya Farquharson cleared 4.80m to win the under-20 girls long jump and Blue Chips Athletics got another triple feat as Calea Jackson took the shot put with 10.65m and the discus with 36.20m, while G’Shan Brown won the javelin with 29.76.

In the open women’s division, Ambassadors’ Brianique Strachan sped to victory in the 100m in 12.93; Power Athletics’ Printassia Johnson took the 200m in 24.93 and University of the Bahamas’ Britanny Lundy captured the 100m hurdles in 17.54.

On the boys’ side, Redline Athletics’ Tamari Skinner was the winner of the under-17 100m in 11.55; DTSP Wolfpack’s Philip Gray got the 200m in 23.05 and the 400m in 50.87, just off the B qualifying standard of 50.03.

Hurray Murray’s Raywind Winder came close in the 800m in 2:00.72, but also fell shy of the CARIFTA standard of 2:00.14.

Andros Heats’ Nathaniel McHardy got a double dose of victory on the field in the shot put with 14.42m and the discus with 30.13m. Blue Chips’ Robert Deal Jr threw 44.58m in the javelin.

Redline Athletics’ Shimar Bain clocked 54.88 in the 400m hurdles.

In the under-20 boys’ division, Fast Forward’s Matthew Chandler took the 100m title in 11.10 and Swift Athletics’ Samalie Farrington got the 200m in 22.31; Logan Major took the 400m in 49.09 and Kenzie Knowles got the 800m in 2:03.19. 4D’s Stallions’ Kristopher Wong and T-Bird Flyers’ Jean Dorelien got 1-2 at the line in the 1,500m in 4:37.33.

Rickey Moxey’s Nathaniel Rahming won the high jump with 1.85m; Fast Forwards’ Zachary Evans took the long jump with 6.48m; Redline Athletics’ Brandon Hutchinson took the triple jump with 13.98m; Noble Prep Academy’s Terrance Deveaux won the shot put with 11.50m and Blue Chips’ Kaden Cartwright won the discus with 33.10m and Nathaniel Zervos got the javelin with 54.95m.

In the open men’s division, SPIA’s Yorick Dean clocked 10.88 in the 100m and Joel Johnson did 21.77 in the 200m.

Power Athletics’ Gregory Storr took the 400m in 49.16 and Lhevinne Joseph got the 800m in 1:55.73.

T-bird’s Denzel Sawyer won the 5,000m in 16:55.97.

Power Athletics’ Ken Mullings doubled up in the 110m hurdles in 14.59 and the javelin with 51.36m.

There was also the age group competition contested.

PA Stallions’ Brianna Bootle took the under-13 girls 100m, in 13.50 and the 200m in 27.73; Fast Forward’s Zara Fraser won the 400m in 1:05.26 and 3PA Stallions’ Cierra Delancy won the 800m in 2:46.82.

Shakinah Johnson of Spirit of Excellence won the under-15 girls 100m in 13.26; Team Velocity’s Sarsha Wright won the 200m in 26.49; DTSP Wolfpack’s Brey’Elle Cooper got the 400m in 1:02.54 and Quick Step’s Yulianis Akompi won the 800m in 2:29.49.

Jireh Woodside of Swift Athletics swept the under- 13 boys sprints in the 100m in 13.44 and the 200m in 27.18. Team Velocity’s Ksmron Henfield (59.73) and Anthony Sanders (2:35.59) took the 400 and 800m respectively.

And in the under-15 boys division, Swift Athletics got another sweep as Rolinny Labranche got the 100m in 12.16 and the 200m in 23.89. Hurray Murray’s Tieano Ferguson got a sweep as well in the 400m (56.47) and the 800m (2:35.31.

Meet director Dexter Bodie was quite pleased to have another meet to enable the athletes to get sharp before the BAAA final CARIFTA trials over the weekend of April 1-2.

“The meet was excellent. It was a good performance by all the clubs,” said Bodie, the head coach of the Roadrunners. “I just want to thank all of the coaches and the athletes for their support.

“I knew we would have one or two CARIFTA qualifiers, so I was very impressed with the overall performances. This is almost peak time, so by the trials, all of the athletes should be ready to go.”

Based on the performances he saw, Bodie said he’s confident that there will be some outstanding performances turned in, which would enable the BAAA to select a solid team for the games.

After a two-year hiatus in which organisers had to postpone the event due to COVID-19, the regional top junior track and field meet will return to Kingston, Jamaica, over the weekend of April 16-18.