Last Saturday’s All Comers Track & Field Meet 1 saw more impressive performances from our locally based athletes.
Top performer of the Meet was Andrew Stone who etched his name for selection consideration on the 2022 Carifta Games Team in both the Under 17 Boys Long and High Jump events. He twice bettered the qualifying standard in both events with winning jumps of 6.58m and 1.85m respectively.
In the U20 Boys High Jump Josh Gardener continues to flirt with the 2.0m height by once again equaling his personal best of 1.95m in winning the event. Indications are that it is only a matter of time before he clears this barrier.
Brianna Williams continued her build up towards the Games with a 10.29m toss of the Shot Put, which also bettered the distance required for the U20 Girls of 9.73m. Camerin Porter continues on her Personal Bests campaign by tossing the Shot Put 8.95m and if not, this year she certainly looks, on her present trajectory, as a high future Carifta Games prospect.
On the track the Under 17 Boys 100m continue to close in on the qualifying Carifta Games time of 11.13s with Jerrel Maize, Rashawn Robinson and Michail Michelin running times of 11.52, 11.66 and 11.72 respectively. Neil McLennon-Brown is rounding into top form in winning the U20 Boys 200m in 22.63 in his first run over the distance this Season. Also looking good in his first 200m of the Season was Jamal Ellis running second to McLennon-Brown in 23.28 minutes after running a 400m. The qualifying mark of 21.91 is not out of reach for both these athletes.
Aaliyannah Anderson continues her flirtation with meeting the qualifying standard of 12.30 with a strong 12.76 clocking. Capable of running below 12 seconds it seems only a matter of time before she cracks the qualifying mark. Ashantae Graham returned an easy looking 12.86 in the U20 Girls equivalent and gave indication that the qualifying standard of 12.05 is within her capabilities. She also took the trifecta by winning the U20 Girls Long Jump (5.35m) and 200m (26.96).
Despite these performances the outstanding performance of the Meet must go to the continuing battle between DeQuanna Howell, Elena Kish and Ginny Harrison in the U13 Girls 1500. All three girls had engaged in a close 800m run the week before with Howell eking out a narrow win over Kish and the fast-finishing Harrison in third. The 1500m would be even closer. The battle was joined from the start of the race with Kish pressing Howell. The remainder of the race saw a constant change of lead with both girls swapping the leads on multiple occasions. Entering the home stretch and with audience urging them on Kish had the narrowest of lead but Howell quickly pounced and held off the continuing challenge of Kish until two strides before the finish. At that point Howell made the cardinal sin of not running through the line and in a might surge Kish rushed pass her to take the Gold. The battle between these two young ladies holds out the promise of more interesting races between both of them for the remainder of the Season and hopefully for Seasons to come.
Truman Bodden Classic
The Associations next Meet will be the first of the Associations Grand Prix Meets with the staging of the Truman Bodden Classic on the 26th February 2022. Entry Forms can be obtained on the Associations website, athletics.org.ky. A special request is made to the Schools to register their student-athletes for this very important Meet.
