The Tribune

They didn’t have an overall champion, but at the end of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Scotiabank National High School Track and Field Championships, the Queen’s College Comets held onto bragging rights, having won four of the eight divisional titles.

The Comets, runners-up in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championships, celebrated on Saturday at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. They had an impressive showing, winning the under-14 boys division with 100 points, the under-16 girls (196.5pts), under-16 boys (155pts) and under-20 girls (197pts).

Their arch-rivals, St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine, fresh off their victory at the BAISS Championships, picked up the under-14 girls (102pts), under-18 girls (191pts) and boys (164pts) divisions.

The only other divisional title went to the CR Walker Knights. The Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s (GSSSA) runners-up to champions CV Bethel Stingrays, took the under-20 boys division (137pts).

The Stingrays were among the top five in both the under 18 (4th with 65pts and 3rd with 54pts in the girls and boys respectively) and under 20 girls (4th with 89pts) and boys (3rd with 96pts) divisions.

Meanwhile, the CH Reeves Raptors, winners of the GSSSA junior championship, got fifth in the under-14 boys (37pts) and girls (37pts) and under-16 girls (33pts) and 12th in the under-16 boys (11pts) divisions.

Of note for Queen’s College, their under-20 girls team of Latisha Taylor, Mesha Newbold, Vanaillian Walker and Talia Thompson won the 4 x 400m relay to earn the right to compete in the upcoming Penn Relays, April 25-26, courtesy of the BAAA and Scotiabank.

The Comets also got a record-breaking performance from Tamar Greene in the under-18 boys triple jump. Greene leapt 15.00 metres to break the previous mark of 14.96m set by Gerard Brown of St Augustine’s College. The feat just after he surpassed the 17-year-old BAISS meet record of Olympic bronze medallist Leevan Sands with his winning leap of 14.57m.

4x400 Metre Relay UNDER 20

Moore’s Island’s team of Devano Mackry, Shakeem Henchell, Brandon Davis and Steven Gardiner won the under-20 boys 4 x 400m relay in 3:14.65 to also earn the trip to the Penn Relays.

The meet attracted a number of competitors from schools in Grand Bahama and throughout the Family Island. North Andros High was a fourth place finisher in the under-14 girls (45pts), while Central High was fourth in the under-14 boys (38pts).

Tabernacle Baptist Academy from Grand Bahama was third in the under-16 girls (94pts) and boys (102pts) with North Andros (74pts), Central Andros (39pts) and Preston Albury High (35pts) from = Eleuthera fourth through sixth.

Tabernacle Baptist (59pts) was fifth in the under-18 girls division and seventh (41pts) in the under-18 boys. Bishop Michael Eldon (32pts) had a fifth place in the under-20 girls division and the top Family Island performer in the under-20 boys division was Moores Island High (44pts) in sixth place.

The meet produced a number of outstanding performances as athletes also had a chance to qualify for the Carifta Games that will be held in Martinique over the Easter holiday weekend.

While Tyler Lightbourn of Queen’s College won the under-14 girls 100 in 12.97 seconds and high jump (1.47m, (4-09.75), Megan Moss of St Augustine’s College picked up the 200m (25.73) and 400m (1:01.07) double.

Tabernacle Baptist’s Daniesha Curry posted the under-16 girls 100m (12.38) and 200m (25.02) sprint combo, while Kimona of Queen’s College came through in the 800m (2:25.31) and 1,500m (5:28.88).

Also double winners were Daejha Moss of Queen’s College in the long jump (4-09.75) and triple jump (17-10.25) and Tiffany Hanna of St Augustine’c College in the shot put (40-02.75) and discus (29.96m, 98-03).

Krystal Mitchell of Queen’s College won the under-20 girls 100m (12.41), but St Augustine’s Doniesha Anderson took the 200m (24.56) and high jump (1.65m, 5-05). St John’s Amber Ford got a double victory in the 800m (2:19.92) and 1,500m (5:18.44).

In the under-20 girls division, SAC’s Keianna Albury won the 100m (11.82) and 200m (23.81). She also dominated on the field, taking the long jump (5.60m, 18-04.50) and shot put (11.86m, 38-11).

On the boys side, Queen’s College’s Gareth Lewis doubled up in the 14-and-under 100m (12.09) and 200m (24.90). CH Reeves’ Nathan Burrows took the 400m (57.44) and 800m (2:15.80). Tabernacle’s Johnathon Smith was the 100m champion 21.99. 2, 814 Poitier, St. Augustine’’s College’s Deangelo Mackey won the long jump (6.17m, 20-03) and triple jump (12.34m, 40-06).

Anatol Rodgers’ Scharam Cash won the under-18 boys 100m (10.94), but SAC’s Justin Pinder took the 400m (49.84) and 800m (2:01.29) and CC Sweeting’s Ken Mullings was the winner of the high jump (2.00m, 6-06.75) and long jump (6.92m, 22-08.50) and SAC’s Perry Adderley doubled up in the shot put (15.58m, 51-01.50) and discus (47.68m, 156-05).

And in the under-20 boys division, Grand Bahama’s Tyler Bowe sped to victory in the 100m (10.55).

SAC’s Xavier Coakley was a triple winner in the 110m hurdles (13.96), 400m hurdles (54.16) and long jump (6.95m, 22-09.75) and Derico Hinsey of CV Bethel was a double winner in the 5,000m (17:29.80) and 3,000m steeplechase (11:10.76), while SAC’s Denzel Pratt doubled up in the discus (43.69m, 143-04) and javelin (65.93m, 216-04).