The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WANYA McCoy took advantage of the Blue Marlins Track Series to qualify for the postponed 2021 CARIFTA Games in the under-20 boys’ 200 metres.

The first in a three-part series of events to give athletes a chance to qualify for the major international track and field meets this summer took place on Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson Track Stadium.

McCoy clocked 21.06 seconds to win the half-lap race to surpass the standard for the games, which has been rescheduled for August in Bermuda. “I feel good. From the start, I was tired, coming off the 150, in my mind I was saying it was time to go,” said McCoy, the Queen’s College 12th grader. “I picked up my stride and went for it on the home stretch.”

The 17-year-old 6-foot, 5-inch McCoy, hoping to make his first appearance at CARIFTA, said he hopes to come back whenever the trials are held and duplicate the qualifying feat to solidify his spot on the team.

Amari Pratt, competing in the open women’s 100m, dipped under the B standard of 12.20 for the under-11 girls’ division when she finished in 12.08.

The A standard is 11.96.

“It was good. I think I could have done better. I just want to thank God,” she said. “I just have to push harder out of the blocks and drive through my phase and keep stepping over my stride and I will get it.”

Pratt beat her Star Trackers’ team-mate Nia Richards, who was second in 12.32 and High Performance’s De’Avae Adderley, third in 12.70.

Richards, a 14-year-old 10th grader at Queen’s College, later won the 200m in 24.85 with Adderley second in 25.69 and Isabella Roker, also from High Performance, coming in third in 27.49. “I did my PR (personal record) today. It’s the lowest 100m that I ever ran,” said Richards, who needs to run at least 24.58 in order to qualify for CARIFTA in the under-17 girls’ division.

“I executed my race and I dropped my time, which as I did in the 100m too. I just have to work on my drive and keeping my feet lower on the track.”

Holland Martin, home training for the Olympic Games after completing South Plains Junior College in Texas, doubled up in the open men’s 100m and long jump.

Competing unattached, Martin took the century race on the track in 10.90 over Speed Dynamics’ Stephen ‘Dirty’ Newbold, who did 10.96, while Showalter Johnson was third in 10.98.

The 22-year-old Martin, training with national long jump record holder Craig Hepburn, also soared 7.53m to snatch the men’s long jump title with Ken Mullings second with 6.48m and Star Trackers’ Reanno Todd third with 5.98m.

“Today was a season opener, so it was just getting to see where I am at right now,” said Martin.

He said he is more concerned about attaining the qualifying standard of 8.22m in the long jump for the Olympics.

“I was a little disappointed in my performance in the long jump, but I was glad to see where I am at right now.

“In the long jump, I just wasn’t attacking the board. Once I can attack the board, everything else, including my drive phase, will come together.”

Ashton Clarke was the only other double winner.

Clarke took the open men’s 400m in 49.75 with Tyler Miller second in 50.63 and Ahmad Evan third in 51.12.

And he also ran 2:02.43 in the 800m with Nathan Burrows of Quick Step second in 2:03.16 and Miller third in 2:09.26.

The women’s triple jump saw two competitors go head-to-head with Tamara Myers of Leap of Faith winning with 13.85m over visitor Grace Furlong from Ireland second with 12.23m.

“It was good. I took my technique from single to double arm, which was a lot better because I was able to hold my phase jump a lot longer, especially coming off the step phase,” Myers said.

“They say double arm is only for men, but it helped me to get stronger, so it’s still early in the summer and it’s good to help me progress towards qualifying for the Olympics.”

Furlong, in town with her boyfriend who is working here now, said her goal is to qualify for the August World Junior Games standard and she felt the Bahamas was the ideal place to train.

“It’s still a long season to go, so hopefully I can get there,” said the 22-year-old, who is training with twin brothers Latario and Lathone Collie-Minns.

There were a couple of races where competitors had to virtually run by themselves because they were the only entrants. One of them was Brandon Hanna in the open men’s 400m hurdles.

The CI Gibson graduate needed to clear the 10 fights of hurdles in 48.90 to run the qualifying time for the Olympics.

But the 22-year-old University of the Bahamas student had to settle for 55.39 as he stumbled over the last two hurdles on the home stretch.

“I was disappointed, but at least I know where I am at right now,” Hanna said.

“I know how far my training is going right now and what I have to do to get my time down.

“When I found out that I was the only competitor, the only thing that crossed my mind was Isaacs M, who had to run the 200m by himself to qualify for the final. So it was me against the clock.”

Printassa Johnson, running by herself, clocked 1:01.05 to take the open women’s 400m and Vineva Paul also ran alone in the open women’s 400m hurdles, clocking 1:12.22.

And Denzel Sawyer did 4:19.66 by himself in the open men’s 1,500m, while Andrew Hepburn did 19:11.38 in a 13 1/2 lap race in the open men’s 5,000m as the lone competitor as well.

Race organiser Demaris Cash said the goal was to put on a track and field series, starting on Saturday, followed by another on June 10 and the final one, dubbed the 5th Last Change Meet on June 28, to keep the athletes in tip-top shape heading into the Olympics.

“We lost last year where everything was just standstill and so we just wanted to get them sharp where iron sharpen iron,” said Cash, a former quarter-miler out of St Augustine’s College.

“I was expecting more of the senior athletes who are home training to compete, but most of them are taking their time with Tokyo later this year. But we just want to take this opportunity to sharpen their craft.”

The track series is being sponsored by Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands’ Pros Apparel, Andretti Bain Sports Nutrition Store, Henry Butler’s TAB, Runnahs Delivery App, Sea Grape Inc, MFC Beauty, Global Sun Integration and NSCG.

Unlike other meets where awards were presented to the winners, the first place finishers, through the Blue Marlins’ management team, got a $40 food coupon, second got 30 percent off a visit to TAB and third received 20 percent off any vitamins purchased at Bain’s store.