Lyssons Primary of St Thomas easily retained their INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits National Primary Schools Athletics title and walked away with a whopping $500,000 at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Lyssons amassed 188 points and were well clear of the St Catherine-based teams Spanish Town (168), Naggo Head (160) and Greater Portmore (105). Harbour View of St Andrew completed the top 5 with 88.5 points.
Lyssons, who won the regional Eastern championship and pocketed $250,000 has now garnered $750,000 for their efforts while Spanish Town, who won the Central title but finished second here, collected $250,000 and $500,000 overall.
Naggo Head collected $200,000 for third while the teams finishing fourth to tenth will get $100,000 each.
The impressive Jevaney Findlay of Spanish Town and Shaquan Reid of Glen Stuart were the Male champions with 18 points while Danelia Clarke of St Patrick’s and Shanayah Jacques of Red Hill were the female overall champions.
Findlay, who has all the high school scouts at his doorstep, won the 200m in style, stopping the clock at 24.63 running into a headwind of -2.1 mps as the record of 24.02 held by Christopher Taylor since 2012 remained intact.
Daniel Buchanan of St Jude’s Primary was second in 26.28 ahead of Andre Genus of Mountainside Primary (26.45).
Clarke captured the girls’ 200m in 26.44 ahead of Rihanna Scott of Rock Hall in 26.60. Chelseann Samuels of Half Way Tree Primary was third in 27.01.
Woodlands Primary secured their first gold courtesy of Rihanna Gayle in the girls Class Two 200m.
Gayle who was sixth in the 100m on Friday, won comfortably in 27.62 (-3.4) ahead of Shanice Williams of Greater Portmore (27.95). Lyssons’ Khalia Raymond was third in 28.10.
Rousseau Primary’s Deandre Parker struck gold in the boys’ Class Two 200m in 26.85 (-2.8), denying Daniel Glave of Red Hills Primary who was second in 27.10, the 400, 200m double. Mercado Williams of Naggo Head was third in 27.13.
Red Hills Primary secured another win as Shanayah Jacques won the Class Three 150m in 21.08 (2.2). Sarah McDonald of Naggo Head was second in 21.39.
Shaquwan Reid of Glen Stuart Primary won the Class Three boys 150m in 20.55 (-3.3) ahead of Davere Walker of Lyssons (20.64). Zidon Morgan of Ascot Primary was third in 21.25.
John Mills showed that they are doing something right in the vertical jumps following Sanique Watt’s victory in the girls’ section and Daquan Dawk’s win in the boys’ equivalent with a leap of 1.54m. Jamar Edwards of Lyssons was second with 1.49m.
In the girls 70m hurdles event, John Mills continued their good form, securing the quinella as Rememha Dixon won in 11.86 and was followed home Kayla Lewis in 12.04.
Hanif Jones of Glen Stuart won boys’ 70 hurdles in 10.74 (-2.0) ahead of Nique Barnes of Naggo Head in 10.77. Daquan Dawkins of John Mills was third in 11.45.
In an impressive display of speed and endurance, Obrian Clarke of Glen Stuart Primary won the boys 800m open in 2:22.76, well clear of Jaylon Campbell of Polly Ground Primary in second with 2:27.50. Rajuan Morgan of Carisbrook Primary finished third in 2:28.16.
Lyssons’ Christassia Pearce took the girls’ 800m in 2:32.60 in a close battle with Renica Coombs of Spanish Town (2:32.76). Christina Clarke of Harbour View was third in 2:35.43.
Spanish Town won the Sprint Medley in 2:00.45 and was just outside the record of 1:58.56 held by New Providence since 2012. Lyssons was some way back in 2:07.48 after battling the winners until the last 200m before fading. St Richards’ closed fast and finished third in 2:07.48.
New Providence struck gold in the 4x200m relay winning in 1:53.20 and held off Naggo Head who were second in 1:53.45. St Patrick’s finished third with 1:53.61.
Fittingly the outstanding boy athlete of the meet, Jevaney Findlay secured his third gold running a scorching second leg setting the stage for an easy win for Spanish Town in the final event, the boys’ 4x200m in 1:47.31.
Naggo Head was second with 1:48.08 and third went to St Jude’s Primary with 1:49.07.
