The 2019 Trinidad and Tobago Secondary Schools’ Track & Field (TTSSTF) Championships began with aplomb at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo yesterday. The two-day event will continue today and based on what was seen yesterday, the intense competition from students from 96 schools, representing eight districts across Trinidad and Tobago is expected to be very competitive.
In the Over-17 Boys 100 metres event, last year's National champion Tyrel Edwards of Toco Secondary had to settle for second behind his National team-mate Kion Benjamin of St. Anthony's College. Benjamin clocked the time of 10.53 seconds dipping below the Carifta standard.
This is the second time that Benjamin has gone under the required Carifta time. Edwards finished in a time of 10.65 with Dominic Cole of Queen's Royal College in third with a time of 10.72.
It was very close in the Over-17 Girl's 100 metres event which saw
Akilah Lewis of Bishops Anstey Port- of -Spain winning in a photo-finish from Ayla Stanislaus with Leah Bertrand third. Lewis registered the time of 11:93 seconds while Stanislaus who represented Roxborough Secondary and came into the final with the fastest time finished second in a time of 11:96 seconds. Betreand registered the time of 12:47 seconds.
The sprints continued to churn out upset victories and Devin Augustine of Vessigny Secondary out-ran the Under 17 100 Boys favourite Shakeem McKay of Queen's Royal College in another nail-biting finish. The former got to the line in 10.85 seconds and got below the required Carifta mark of 10.90 seconds. Anthony Diaz of Point Fortin East Secondary was third in a time of 11.21.
The Under-17 Girls sprint had no such problem as Karessa Kirton of Providence winning impressively in a time of 12.14 second but the time was outside the time of 11:80 required to make it on the Carifta plane for the Cayman Islands. Jaycel Bailey of Point Fortin West Secondary was second in the time of 12.69 seconds with Jada Duprey of Providence in third in a time of 12:77 seconds.
In the Under-15 Girls 100 metres sprint, Janae DeGannes of Bishops Anstey Port- of- Spain beat her main rival Janika 'Hulk' Jordan into second with Jernissa Kadoo of Pleasantville Secondary in third. DeGannes clocked 12.23 seconds for the trip while Jordan clocked 12.57 with Kadoo registering a time of 13.00seconds.
In the Under-15 Boys 100 metres event Jordan Noel looked superb as he won impressively while registering the time of 11.70 seconds with Mikail Byer of Presentation San Fernando second in 11.84 seconds. Tyrese James of Queen's Royal College in third in the time of 11.91 seconds.