Jereem Richards was in dominant mood on day two of the 2012 Carifta trials, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, yesterday, bolting to victory in the boys’ Under-20 200 metres final in an impressive 21 seconds flat.
Richards took charge on the bend, and never look threatened on the straight, finishing well ahead of Asa Guevara, the runner-up in 21.49.
Machel Cedenio, winner of the 400m on day one, ran a slow bend, giving himself too much to do in the second half of the race. Cedenio gave another fine display of finishing strength, but was never going to challenge Richards for the top spot, settling for third in 21.59 seconds.
Richards was among 14 athletes who attained Carifta qualifying standards yesterday. Four of them, including Richards, also qualified in an event on day one.
A total of 28 athletes achieved Carifta standards at the two-day meet.
Like Richards, Jonathan Farinha dominated his rivals in the boys’ under-17 200m final.
Coming off the turn, Farinha had a couple strides on 100m winner Nicholas Douglas. But a scorcher in front of the main stand at the Crawford Stadium killed off the race as a contest, Farinha winning in 21.32 seconds--68 hundredths of a second faster that the 22.00 Carifta standard.
Douglas, second in 21.85, also qualified. On Saturday, he had attained the 100m standard.
Kernesha Spann was the lone competitor in the girls’ under-20 400m hurdles. But that didn’t prevent her from beating the Carifta mark. A 400m qualifier on day one, Spann returned a time of one minute, 00.15 seconds in yesterday’s one-lap hurdles.
Kenejah Williams emerged as a double qualifier as well, the Tobago athlete throwing 48.54 metres to top the boys’ under-17 discus field. On Saturday, he was equally impressive in the shot put.
Half of yesterday’s 14 qualifiers were throwers—Williams, Keshorn Walcott and Akim Phillips in the boys’ under-20 javelin, Brithney Bedlow and Shaiann Charles in the girls’ under-17 discus, Hezekiel Romeo (boys’ under-20 shot put) and Precious George (boys’ under-17 javelin).
Romeo threw the iron ball 18.50m—a personal best with the six-kilogramme shot.
Walcott, meanwhile, signalled a warning ahead of his title defence at the April 7-9 Carifta Games, in Bermuda. Using a shortened run-up, he hurled the spear 67.12m.
DAY 2 QUALIFIERS (14)
Boys’ under-20 200m – standard 21.40
1. Jereem Richards (Quantum) 21.00 (wind: +1.1)
Boys’ under-17 200m – standard 22.00
Final (wind: +1.6)
1. Jonathan Farinha (Abilene) 21.32
2. Nicholas Douglas (Zenith) 21.85
Semis Heat 2 (wind: +2.1)
1. Nicholas Douglas (Zenith) 21.95
Boys’ under-20 400m hurdles – standard 54.00
1. Kern Alexis (Neon Trackers) 53.79
Girls’ under-20 400m hurdles – standard 1:01.00
1. Kernesha Spann (Neon Trackers) 1:00.15
Boys’ under-17 high jump – standard 1.85m
1. Edson Moses (Tobago Falcons) 1.85m
Boys’ under-20 long jump – standard 7.00m
1. Atiba Wright (unattached) 7.01m (wind: +0.7)
Boys’ under-20 shot put – standard 15.00m
1. Hezekiel Romeo (Memphis Pioneers) 18.50m
Boys’ under-17 discus – standard 39.00m
1. Kenejah Williams (Tobago Falcons) 48.54m
Girls’ under-17 discus – standard 32.00m
1. Brithney Bedlow (Tobago Falcons) 35.21m
2. Shaiann Charles (D’Abadie) 34.88m
Boys’ under-20 javelin – standard 54.00m
1. Keshorn Walcott (Rebirth) 67.12m
2. Akim Phillips (Zenith) 56.55m
Boys’ under-17 javelin – standard 48.00m
1. Precious George (Warriors) 48.58m
-Kwame Laurence
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com