The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE CV Bethel Stingrays stunned the CR Walker Knights to derail their eighth consecutive title defence at the 2025 Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) Track and Field Championship hosted at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

The Stingrays had the advantage for three consecutive days and finally put the nail in the coffin with a winning team score of 629 points.

It was just the second track and field championship victory for the school since their first title win back in 2014.

The Knights went down swinging but ended the three-day meet with 600 points for second place this time around. 

The RM Bailey Pacers rounded out the top three with a total of 340 points overall.

Daniel Pratt, head coach for CV Bethel, was elated to witness the Stingrays win their second GSSSA track and field honours.

“It feels great seeing that last year we lost by 32 points for second place and the year before that I think about 60 or so points for second place. It was a lot of little tweaking that we had to do to make the adjustment. The main thing was the kids - they were very focused and we tried our best to keep them working together and as a team we did it,” he said.

After coming up short at the last few meets, coach Pratt said the main goal was to keep extending the lead each day.

“Me, coach Gilcud and coach Johnson were on their case telling them 10 points isn’t enough, 20 points isn’t enough and we were just on them over and over again. We were able to get a lot of persons to take part in different events. As a whole and as a school, I think the kids did an excellent job,” he said.

The newly-crowned champions claimed two out of the four senior divisions.

They won the under-20 girls’ division with 186 points and the under-17 boys’ division with 174 points.

The Knights emerged victorious in the under-17 boys’ division with 188 points.

The CC Sweeting Cobras snuck away with the victory in the under-20 boys’ division with 173 points.

Track Events

Iesha Hanna, representing CV Bethel, ran a swift time of 24.96 seconds for first place in the under-20 girls’ 200m finals. 

Placing second was CR Walker’s Brey’Elle Cooper in 25.15 seconds.

CV Bethel also secured the third spot with Synia Lockhart clocking 27.19 seconds.

Lockhart was also successful in the under-20 girls’ 400m hurdles event.

She bested her competitors with a winning time of 1:14.27.

Her schoolmate Darrenqiue Morris was a few steps behind at 1:16.32.

CI Gibson’s Avianna Marshall secured the third podium spot in 1:16.37.

The Stingrays got the job done in the under-20 girls’ 4x400m and under-17 boys’ 4x400m relay.

The quartet of Kalen Michalle, Darrenique Morris, Iesha Hanna and Synia Lockhart had a winning time of 4:24.06 in the under-20 girls’ 4x400m event. CR Walker’s relay team of Rachea Nelly, Brey’Elle Cooper, Raynia Russell and Dahija Mesidor came in second with a time of 4:26.99.

The Pacers’ relay team of Bernechia Nelson, Samantha Rolle, Neveah Fernander and Shanae Johnson had to settle for the third spot in 4:42.16.

Over in the under-17 boys’ 4x400m relays, the Stingrays’ Garnet Musgrove, Denim Stuart, Floyd Curry and Andrew Rolle stopped the clock at 3:45.52 for first place.

CR Walker’s relay team of Sidney Corneille, Deontay Rolle, Navardo Allen and Adrian Sweeting fell to second place with a time of 3:45.67.

The Rattlers’ quartet of Khamani Davis, Melvens Simeon, Jeremiah Divin and Dijon Pinder dropped to third place with a time of 3:47.16.

CC Sweeting’s Emmanuel Adams was close to the CARIFTA-qualifying standard of 21.35 seconds in the under-20 boys’ 200m finals. He ended the race in first with a time of 21.55 seconds. 

His schoolmate Th’Ron Petit-Frere trailed for second in 21.95 seconds and the Stingrays’ Devon Alexis clinched the third spot in 22.32 seconds.

CR Walker’s Johnathon Higgs was impressive in the under-17 boys’ 200m finals. He produced a winning time of 22.14 seconds which was a little over the CARIFTA-qualifying standard of 22.08 seconds.

Higgs also picked up another win in the under-17 boys’ 400m hurdles, clocking 57.73 seconds in the race.

Field Events

Shawnovia Moxey, representing CV Bethel, was the top performer in the under-17 girls’ javelin throw event. She pulled off a winning heave of 20.41m. RM Bailey’s Rania Douglas fell to second with her throw of 18.83m. Her schoolmate Lazara Merlander ended the event in third at 18.17m.

The Stingrays were also successful in the under-17 boys’ shot put event.

Davario Symonette got the victory with a toss of 12.08m.

Gabriel Jordan, competing for Doris Johnson, nabbed the second spot with a throwing distance of 12.00m.

The Stingrays’ Kaiden Kemp turned in a throw of 10.63m for third overall.

The 2025 GSSSA Track and Field Championships is now in the history books with the SC McPherson Sharks and CV Bethel Stingrays running away with the junior and senior division trophies respectively.

Next up for track and field will be the National High School Track and Field Championships slated for March 20-23 at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.