Tyriq Horsford, Kenejah Williams and Akeem Stewart led the way for Tobago at the annual NAAA Hurdles and Field Events Festival which took place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Saturday. Horsford (Zenith) was a triple winner while Williams (Tobago Falcons) secured double gold with club-mate Stewart taking the men’s shot put.
Horsford had a busy day, winning the boys under 15 shot put (14.54m), high jump (1.60m) and javelin (54.69m). The quadruple winner at the National Secondary Schools Championships in March set a personal best in the javelin and shot put and was also third int he 100m hurdles (17.20 sec). Horsford continues to show his all round talent after winning the CAC Age Group under 15 Heptathlon events earlier this month and the Falcon Games title in March.
Williams copped the under-18 shot put and discus crowns to add to the under-17 titles he won last year.
He won the shot put in a World Youth qualifying distance of 17.79m in the third round of the competition to get over the 17.70m standard for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine July 10 to 14.
Williams also improved his pb of 17.64m set at the Falcons Games at the same venue on March 23. The Scarborough Secondary fifth former also captured the discus (49.18m). Stewart retained the men’s shot put crown with a new personal best of 18.33 to surpass the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Championships standard of 17.00m in his second straight meet. The 2011 double Carifta medallist bettered the 17.77m set at the President Classic on April 6.
The CAC Senior Champs are carded for Mexico City, Mexico from July 12 to 14.
Horsford’s Zenith club mate Anya Akili was among several double winners. Akili took the G U15 100m hurdles (17.11 sec) and high jump (1.45)m and was third in the long jump (4.56m).
The Toco TAFAC trio of Portious Warren, Ayana Glasgow and Cherisse Murray along with Joel Andrews (D’Abadie Progressive) also won two titles.
Warren came out victorious in the G U18 shot put and javelin throws. In the shot, the 2012 Carifta bronze medallist topped the field with a second round throw of 14.88m to improve her personal best and also go over the World Youth standard of 13.50m. The St Augustine Secondary student also had an effort of 14.80m in the last round to leave two Carifta champion Chelsea James (Tobago Falcons in second) with 13.80. Warren had earlier landed the javelin gold (30.01m). Shaian Charles (D’Abadie) took the discus (35.33). The 2012/2013 Carifta bronze medallist relegated James to second yet again (35.03). Murray similarly took the women’s shot put and javelin with throws of 11.20m and 36.26m respectively and was third in the discus (35.77) behind this year’s Carifta G U20 bronze medallist Shaunna Downey (38.89) and sister Sharisse Downey (38.25), both of Burnley. Glasgow sailed the victory in the G U18 high jump (1.60m) and 100m hurdles (16.20 sec). The Toco Secondary athlete was denied a third gold in the long jump taking the runner-up spot (5.23m) as Aeisha Culthrust (Neon Trackers) finished narrowly ahead also with 5.23m but got the nod because of her superior second best jump (5.04 to 4.88).
Andrews (D’Abadie Progressive) leapt to victory in the B U13 long jump (4.56m) and Cricket ball throw (45.75m). On each occasion he defeated teammate Avindale Smith (4.39/43.51) and was going for gold number three in the high jump but Smith prevailed clearing 1.50 to Andrews’ 1.35.
The Tobago athletes stamped their authority at the meet by taking the top three spots in the B U15 high jump, men’s high jump and javelin and B U18shot put. In addition they secured the top two places in the women’s 100m hurdles, B U15 javelin and shot put, G U13 high jump and long jump.