Upper Demerara retain National Schools title
… Forde, Alleyne shatter records
Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
March 13, 2004
DISTRICT TEN, Upper Demerara/Kwakwani, successfully defended their National Schools’ Track, Field, Cycling and Swimming Championship title, winning all but one division as Cleveland Forde and Rondell Alleyne made new marks on the final day at the Enmore Community Centre ground, yesterday.
Upper Demerara totalled 1187-5/6 points, adding the track and field title with 520-5/6 points, cycling with 191 to their swimming crown (281 points).
They placed third in the Teachers’ championships with 195 points.
Yesterday proved a day of exciting action as the heat on the ground matched that from the sky.
Alleyne, who claimed the Girls’ Under-15 champion title with 36 points, clipped 2/10 of a second off the 200m mark, finishing a clear ten metres ahead of the second-placer. She clocked 25.7, erasing the previous of 26.0 set by Onica Fraser in 1993 at Albion. Monica Roberts placed second while Roxanne Rigby came in third.
Alleyne also won the Under-15 400m. In the Boys’ event, the top athlete Yannick Beete was only 5/10 faster than she. He won in 25.2 seconds.
Forde, running in the final event of the day in his green and yellow outfit, and who represented Guyana in the first and second legs of the South American 10km road races, quickly paced himself from the first lap, completely dominating after the third lap.
With eight laps to go, he had lapped everyone at least twice except eventual second place finisher Quinton Antone of District Nine.
With three laps to go, the announcer signalled the crowd to support Forde, still on course for the record.
Two laps to go, he lapped Antone, but the latter would not go down so easy. Antone increased his pace and overtook Forde but only had enough steam for another ten metres but provided a vital push for Forde.
The bell sounded for the final 300m lap. The crowd became re-energised and the cheers and chants came from all districts, officials, spectators and even the media, down the final straight.
Forde sprinted home in front of the hundreds who had turned up and braved the hot sunshine and constant drizzle later in the day, winning in 15:18.6 minutes to erase Sheik Mohammed’s mark of 15:50 set in 1992 in Linden. Phillip Rose placed third.
In other events, Ryan Reid claimed the Under-17 100, 200 and 400m titles to take the Champion Boy title with 28 points, Sheneeka Bentick of District 13 claimed the Champion Girl title with 32 points.
Alleyne who had claimed the 100 and 200m record title, won the Girls’ Under-20 400m to take the title with 40 points.
Charles Binning of District Ten took the Boys’ title. He notched up 30 points, winning the 100, 200, 400m sprint events, also, playing a pivotal role in anchoring his team to the 4 x 400m relay gold medal.
The Boys’ Under-15 champion was Deron Johnson with 23 points, while the brother-and-sister combination of Michael and Lisa Bowman claimed the Under-13 titles.
Kellisha Pellew claimed the Girls’ Under-11 title with 36 points, with Kareem Naughton on 26 points winning the Boys’ title.
Trevon Garraway is the Boys’ Under-9 champion and Rosie Chapman the Girls’ champion.
Chris Persaud of District 11 won the Boys’ Under-15 Cycling title with Alicon Blackman winning the Girls’ title, while Alonzo Greaves of District 12 with 48 points took the Boys’ Open title. Shabeena Daniels from District 13 with 36 points claimed the Girls’ Open title.
In other events, Rosanna Lawrence of District Nine claimed the Girls’ 3000m event beating Delcie Dick into second place and Leanna Doris, third.
Shonette McFarlane won the Girls’ Under-17 800m, while Keston Tyrell won the Boys’ race.
In cycling, Travis Mendonca of District Ten won the Boys’ Open 2000m, with Alita Logan claiming the Girls’ 1000m.
In the Devil takes the Hindmost, Alonzo Greaves was the victor followed by Darren Allen and Mendonca.
Another judges’ mistake almost created another controversy in the Girls’ version of the event. Sizette Douglas took the top spot followed by Shabeena Daniels and Alicon Blackman.
Douglas and Daniels were in a nail-biting, hair-raising sprint for the line, with the former getting home by a few inches on the wheel. The judges had given Daniels the race but it was later overturned when a protest was launched.
The 4x400m Boys’ Open relay was taken by District 11, followed by Six and Ten, while 13 won the Girls’ race with 11 in second and District 12 third.
The four-day championships were sponsored by Banks Malta in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).