media_artricles :: 2017

Horsford throws big

Smith sizzler at Carifta trials

showed up at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, yesterday to a throwing treat, the 17-year-old Tobago athlete landing the spear 70.94 metres for the easiest of victories on day two of the Carifta trials.

Horsford is the reigning Carifta Games boys' under-18 javelin champion, and is expected to complete a hat-trick of triumphs in Curacao next month. The Zenith thrower warmed up for his title defence with an impressive series, bettering 67 metres three times.

Avindale Smith completed a superb sprint double, the 15-year-old athlete following up on his wind-assisted 10.45 seconds run in Saturday's 100 metres dash with a 21.24 sizzler in the 200m final, yesterday. With good reason, the Queen's Royal College student is drawing comparisons with Darrel Brown, his precocious talent evoking memories of Brown's mind-blowing performances at a similar age.

Following Smith home in the half-lap were his Abilene teammates Adell Colthrust (21.69) and Che Lara (21.88), all three diving well under the 22.05 qualifying standard.

Khalifa St Fort ran away with top honours in the girls' under-20 200m, beating her rivals and the Carifta standard with a 23.64 seconds run.

In the day's last event, the boys' under-20 200m final, Abilene's Jerod Elcock and Jalen Purcell of Simplex finished one-two, clocking 21.24 and 21.40 to cap off a satisfying weekend which saw 41 athletes achieve Carifta marks.

There were 25 qualifiers on each day of the meet, but nine on yesterday's list were "repeat offenders". Elcock and Purcell were among the 16 new qualifiers, a list that also included Horsford and Kaizen Panthers athletes Kerlon Ashby and Anya Akili.

Ashby won the boys' open octathlon with 5,050 points, while Akili totalled 4,469 for victory in the girls' open heptathlon.

The girls' under-18 200m final was an exciting contest, five of the athletes bettering the 25.15 seconds standard. Zenith's Ayla Stanisclaus led the way with a 24.48 clocking, finishing ahead of Concorde's Akilah Lewis (24.52), Deleth Charles (25.00) of Memphis Pioneers, and Cougars duo Caliyah Wallace (25.04) and Shaniqua Bascombe (25.10).

Rae-Anne Serville, winner of the girls' under-18 400m on day one, looked a contender in the 200m as well. The Memphis athlete was mounting a serious challenge late in the race, but stumbled and fell on the track. Courageously, the 14-year-old got back on her feet and finished, crossing the line eighth and last. More importantly, though, Serville did not sustain any serious injuries.

DAY 2 QUALIFIERS (standard in brackets)

Boys' under-20 200 (21.40): 1st (final) Jerod Elcock (Abilene) 21.24; 2nd Jalen Purcell (Simplex) 21.40; 1st (semi 2) Elcock 21.35; 1st (semi 1) Purcell 21.36

Boys' under-20 shot put (15.90m): 1st Konnel Jacob (Jaguars) 16.72m; 2nd Isaiah Taylor (Abilene) 16.61m

Boys' under-20 javelin (57.00m): 1st Odell Joefield (Zenith) 58.32m; 2nd Vandell Joseph (Zenith) 57.93m

Boys' open octathlon (5,050 points): 1st Kerlon Ashby (Kaizen Panthers) 5,237

Girls' under-20 200 (24.00): 1st (final) Khalifa St Fort (unattached) 23.64

Girls' open heptathlon (3,900 points): 1st Anya Akili (Kaizen Panthers) 4,469; 2nd Safiya John (Kaizen Panthers) 4,331; 3rd Antonia Sealy (unattached) 4,308; 4th Mya Dumpson (Neon Wolves) 4,024

Boys' under-18 200 (22.05): 1st (final) Avindale Smith (Abilene) 21.24; 2nd Adell Colthrust (Abilene) 21.69; 3rd Che Lara (Abilene) 21.88; 1st (semi 1) Lara 21.92

Boys' under-18 high jump (1.90m): 1st Jaydon Antoine (Neon Wolves) 1.90m; 2nd Shaquille Benjamin (Kaizen Panthers) 1.90m

Boys' under-18 discus (44.30m): 1st Randolph Isaac (Burnley) 44.45m

Boys' under-18 javelin (59.00m): 1st Tyriq Horsford (Zenith) 70.94m

Girls' under-18 200 (25.15): 1st (final) Ayla Stanisclaus (Zenith) 24.48; 2nd Akilah Lewis (Concorde) 24.52; 3rd Deleth Charles (Memphis) 25.00; 4th Caliyah Wallace (Cougars) 25.04; 5th Shaniqua Bascombe (Cougars) 25.10; 1st (semi 2) Rae-Anne Serville (Memphis) 24.74; 2nd Lewis 24.80; 1st (semi 1) Stanisclaus 24.95; 2nd Wallace 25.11; 3rd Bascombe 25.15; 1st (heat 1) Serville 24.90; 2nd Lewis 24.96; 1st (heat 3) Stanisclaus 24.93

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