Seamless start to 2017 NAPSAC

THE 2017 National Primary Schools’ Athletics Champion-ships (NAPSAC) got off to a smooth and seamless start with the Obadele Thompson Zone beginning the proceedings.

Defending Girls’ and Boys’ Champion, St. Catherine’s, was able to hold off all the challenges to once again be the best on the day to claim their second Obadele Zonal Girls’ title in a row. They amassed a total of 144 points to beat St. James Primary into second place with 136 points. St. Mark’s Primary, Half Moon Fort Primary and Trinity Academy finished in third, fourth and fifth with 115, 112 and 101 points respectively.

The sky over the Usain Bolt Sports Complex was clear and the Ryan Brathwaite track was sweltering, but St. Ambrose Primary, one of the smallest schools in the Zone, rose to capture its first Boys’ title after placing third last year. They finished on 153 points, more than 20 points ahead of defending Boys’ cham-pion St. Catherine’s, who had 131.50 by the end of the day.

The Victrix Ludorum was Isha Adamson of St. Elizabeth Primary with a total of 30 points. By 2 p.m. she had written her name in the record books, with a record time in Heat 2 of the U-13 Girls’ 400m. She ran 1:08.03 minutes, taking down the old record of 1:08.27 set by Darielle Taitt of St. James Primary in 2015. She also showed her stamina in the Girls’ 600m Open to shatter her own record performance from last year to break into one-minute times. Her time in Heat 1 was 1:57.60 minutes, which was more than 4 seconds faster than her previous record of 2:02.41 minutes. She also won the U-13 Girls’ 200m in a time of 29.91 secs.

Victor Ludorum Joshua Collymore hailed from Trinity Academy and finished the day with 30 points as well. He ran the fastest times in the 100m, 200m and 400m events. For the 100m his time was 13.98 secs, the 200m he crossed the line in 29.18 secs and finished the 400 in 1:09.12 minutes.

Aiden Clarke also broke the U-9 80m Sprint record by Ryon Stuart of Boscobel Primary of 12.59 secs set last year. His 12.55 seconds time was blistering, leaving all his competitors in the distance. Records were broken on the field as well with Ashante Rudder of St. Ambrose equalling the six-year-old record of 1.20m in the Girls’ High Jump Open set by Deshaniqua Novell of Workman’s Primary in 2011. Another record was by Alisha Johnson of Half Moon Fort Primary School in the U-13 Girls’ Long Jump. Her best jump was at a height of 4.03m, eclipsing the old record by Destinee Straughn of St. Philip Primary from 2012 of 3.96m. The U-7 Standing Broad Jump record was set by Samir Wiltshire with a jump of 1.52m (Old Record 1.47m). Geheim Inniss of St. Mark’s jumped a record distance in the U-11 Boys’ Long Jump with a leap of 4.07m (Old Record 4.03m).

GIRLS’ TEAM STANDINGS
1. St. Catherine’s Primary – 144
2. St. James Primary – 136
3. St. Mark’s Primary – 115
4. Half Moon Fort – 112
5. Trinity Academy – 101

BOYS’ TEAM STANDINGS
1. St. Ambrose Primary – 153
2. St. Catherine’s Primary School – 131.50
3. Trinity Academy – 121
4. St. Mark’s Primary – 118
5. Boscobel Primary School – 94