MIXED FORTUNES FOR ATHLETES

Ladies High Jump Dominates Nationals

THE curtains came down on the St. Lucia Athletics Association’s National Individual Track and Field championships this past weekend at the George Odlum Stadium. A number of athletes had mixed fortunes over the two days of competition.

It was the first time in a very long time that St. Lucians kept an open eye on the ladies high jump and one could have heard the “Oohs” and “Aahs” when there was a failed attempt by the jumpers.

St. Lucia’s world ranked high jumper and Rio Olympic qualifier Levern Spencer was a class act on Day 2 when she set another first, when already qualified for Rio, she met the standards set by the IAAF of 1.94 metres to win gold ahead of Jeanelle Scheper another Rio qualifier who jumped 1.91 metres for the silver and Ashlee Chole 1.60 metres for the bronze.

With St. Lucia participation in the Olympics going back to Atlanta in 1996 and, no other St. Lucian has obtained the qualifying mark on local soil.

In the boy’s discuss, Jn Pierre Fredrick (Nightriders) won with a throw of 37.84 metres, while in the ladies discuss open Amber Lucien (Choiseul) copped the gold with a throw of 30.84 metres, Lucien won her second gold medal this time in the ladies shot putt with a distance of 10.45 metres.

In the girls 100 metres dash finals Desray Desir representing (Survivors) was first across the finish line in a time of 12.47 seconds, second was Kenia Hippolyte (Rockets) in 13.01 seconds. In the boy’s 100 metres dash finals Jean Etienne Meachel (Choiseul) took the gold in a time of 10.94 seconds ahead of Nyrick Joseph (Elite) 11.28 seconds.

Meachel also took the gold in the 200 metres boys in a time of 22.82 seconds. Second was Tyrese Paul (Rockets) in a time of 22.95 seconds, with in the men’s 100 metres Corneil Lionel (US based / Survivors) won in a time of 10.35 seconds with the silver going to Jahvid Best (unattached) in 10.38 seconds.

In the women’s 100 metres Julien Alfred ( Jamaica based / Survivors) achieved the gold when she finished in 11.77 seconds ahead of Pernel Joseph (US based / Abilene) in 12.16 seconds and Isha Blanchard (Pacesetters) in 12.37 seconds.

On day 2, Alfred showed her prowess in the 200 metres when she c

locked 24.33 seconds ahead of Allana Paul (Morne Stars) 25.05 seconds and Verlyn Taylor (Abilene) 25.45 seconds.

In the women’s 400 metres Allana Paul (Morne Stars) was first across the line in a time of 57.74 seconds; in the boys 400 metres Nicholas Reuben (Morne Stars) won in a time of 50.82 seconds ahead of Randy Serville (Elite) in 50.89, while in the men’s 400 metres Rosen Daniel (US based / Survivors) stopped the clock at 47.26 to capture the gold. Second was Marvric Pamphile (Choiseul) in a time of 48.07 seconds.

Another scintillating run on Day 2 came from Jovon Stephen (Nightriders) in the men’s 200 metres, Stephen won in a time of 21.58 seconds when he defeated a field that comprised Johnathan Celestine (Nightriders) 21.67 seconds, Marvric Pamphile (Choiseul) 21.79 seconds.

Among those who trailed the medal winners was Rosen Daniel (US based / Survivors) 21.84 seconds, Stephen Charles (Nightriders) 22.17 seconds, Delan Edwin (Blazers) 22.41 seconds and Corneil Lionel ( US base / Survivors) 25.32 seconds.

In the girls 800 metres, first across the finish line was Kamillah Monroque (Rockets) in 2 minutes 39.61 seconds. Monroque also won the 1500 metres in a time of 5 minutes 02.93 seconds, and also went on to win the girls 5000 metres to claim her third goal medal at the championship.

In the Women’s Heptathlon Makeba Alcide (US based / Survivors) had wins in the 100 metres hurdles (13.64 seconds); long jump (1.82 metres); shot puty (12.91 metres) and 200 metres dash (24.46 secs), 800 metres (2 minutes 24. 76) seconds and 3rd in the javelin with a throw of 36.15 metres; shermalyn Albert (Morne Stars) kept a close eye on Alcide, and she finished second in the shot put – 11.02 metres, 2nd in the 200 meters dash in 26.47 seconds, but missed out on the 100 metres hurdles, 2nd in the high jump at 1.67 metres, 1st in the javelin with a throw of 43.95 metres and 2nd in the 800 in a time of metres 2 minutes 47.82 seconds.

United States based / Survivors Marbeq Edgar had two eye catching victories at the championships; in the 1500 metres he stopped the clock in a time of 3 minutes 58. 12 seconds, ahead of Michael James another (US based / Road Busters) who finished in a time of 4 minutes 09.37 seconds, third was Tauri Augustin in a time 4 minutes 21.36 seconds. In the 800 metres it was all Edgar ahead of James and Augustin in that order, in one of the better events run on the day.

In other results it was a double podium call for Morne Stars this time in the men’s long jump with Lenyn Leonce winning with a distance of 7.34 metres and his training partner Desran Desir who recently received a University scholarship, taking the silver with a distance of 7.25 metres. In the boys shot putt Fredrick Jn Pierre (Nightriders) won the gold with a distance of 14.42 eclipsing an old mark set by Akim Hubert in 1997; while in the ladies long jump Neema Leon (Elite) won with a distance of 5.75 metres.