Record performances at Primary School Cross Country

Last Friday morning saw all four division records broken at the National Sports Council Trevor Straughan Primary Schools Cross Country race.

It was a hot morning at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex but that did not stop Shavari Lewis-Greenidge, Ashlyn Simmons, Rajari Rollins and Leanna Green from running away from the field to claims record wins. Set a distance of 1 600 metres, Shavari Lewis-Greenidge hailing from St. Judes, stopped the clock in a record time of five minutes

54 seconds. That mark eclipsed the old Class 3-4 time of six minutes 12 seconds. Second place went to the former record holder Asher Atherley of St. Angela’s who also beat his previous time to finish in five minutes 59 seconds. Tarell Rouse-Johnson of St. Judea and Jahiem Springer of the Wesley Hall Junior School both crossed the line in six minutes and 12 seconds.

In the Girls Class 3-4, Ashlyn Simmons crossed the line in six minutes 52 seconds to just beat the old record of 6:53. The Eden Lodge long distance star is no slouch on the track and was a top performer in this year’s National Primary Schools Athletics Championship. Raniesha Stewart of St. Judes ran a close second in six minutes 55 seconds and she was pushed by third place finisher Kadia Rock (6:57) of St. Stephen’s Primary. Former record holder, Bayley’s Primary Skye Edghill-Mapp had to settle for fourth in seven minutes four seconds.

Rajari Rollins of Milton Lynch won the boys Class 1-2 Division where the athletes ran 1 200 metres on the course. His time of four minutes 25 seconds ousted the previous record time of four minutes 38 seconds. The pace was hot in this one and the top 7 finishers broke last year’s record time. Crossing the line next was Damarko Maynard of Hilda Skeene Primary in a time of four minutes 31 seconds. He had to fight for his silver medal down to the millisecond as St. George Primary’s Amari Wickham also clocked 4:31 minutes but took third while Zyerie Kellman of Bayley’s was just off the podium in fourth with a time of 4:32 minutes.

Wilkie Cumberbatch’s Leanna Green was ready and well able on the day and broke the old record by the biggest margin of the day. Competiting in the Girls Class 1-2 Green took down the old time of five minutes and nine seconds by more than 20 seconds to set a new record of four minutes and 48 seconds. The top three were well ahead of the competition and St. Angela’s athlete Fayth Jeffers took second in four minutes 53 seconds while Nyah Oughterson of St. Giles claimed bronze in four minutes 55 seconds.