media_artricles :: 2016 |
||
Akili, Serville steal Tobago spotlightRachael Thomspon-King :: Trinidad Guardian :: 14.06.2016Anya Akili and Rae-Anne Serville emerged the most decorated athletes from last weekend's Tobago House of Assembly (THA) National Asscoaition of Athletic Adminstrations (NAAA) National Junior Championships held at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago. Both athletes copped a brilliant four gold medals each in the youth meet sponsored by the National Gas Company (NGC). It was the perfect warm-up for the duo as well as Khemani Roberts, Antonia Sealy and Kerlon Ashby, who are listed to compete in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada at the Canadian Junior/Senior Combined Events Championships this coming weekend. Akili and Sealey are entered in the youth category while Roberts will contest the Junior division in the women's heptathlon. Ashby will be joined by Ian West and they will participate in the junior boys category in the men's decathlon. On Saturday, Akili collected her first gold medal when she leaped into first place in the girls U-18 long jump with a distance of 5.32 metres. Later securing her second gold, when she stopped the clock at 14.62 seconds in the 100m hurdles. The following afternoon, the 17-year-old of Kaizen Panthers crossed the line first in the 400m hurdles in 1:05.44 and then went on to pick up her fourth precious metal in the high jump, reaching a height of 1.50m. Serville was also stellar on the first day of competition, grabbing her first gold medal when she won the girls U-16 100m hurdles in a time of 15.49. She then went on to win the 400m later that afternoon, stopping the clock in a blistering 55.15. The next day, the Memphis Pioneers athlete crossed the line first in the 200m dash in 24.64 and then went on to pick up her fourth gold medal while being part of her club's 4x100m relay team. She partnered with J'Da Browne, Deleth Charles and Jeneil Morris to clock 47.62 to beat Cougars team of Shaniqua Bascombe, Caliyah Wallace, Melissa Boxhill and Joanna Rogers into second (48.87) and third was Neon Wolves' Keraria Diaram, Jaelle Beckles, Renea Fletcher and J'Naia Hillocks in 53.35. Roberts' top of the podium finishes came on both the track and the field. The Panthers' multi event athlete won the U-20 400m in 57.44 and also the long jump (5.44m). She was the lone competitor in the Girls high jump event but would have been happy in reaching the height of 1.70m. Sealy of Point Fortin New Jets (PFNJ) was also the sole participant in the girls U-18 heptathlon. There were a number of athletes nabbing more than one gold medal in the two-day meet, including Akanni Hislop of Zenith in the boys U-20 100m (10.57) and 200m (21.13); Panthers' Safiya John in the girls U-16 long jump (5.48) and Javelin (40.22), Striders' Shenelle Licorish in the girls U-16 shot put (10.48) and discus (24.39); Kershel McIntyre of Cougars in the girls U-18 800 (2:24.51) and 1,500 (5:27.72); and Chelsea James won the girls U-20 shot put (14.18) and discus (45.33) for Falcons. Final Results Relays U-18 U-16 Boys U-20 5,000m |
Enlarge Image Rae-Anne Serville |
|
Close Window |