ATHLETES compete in the RC Athletics Throwers Meet at the University of the Bahamas field on Saturday. Photo: Kermit Taylor/Bahamas Athletics
As of Monday, December 12, 2016
#By BRENT STUBBS
#Senior Sports Reporter
#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
#TWO athletes closed out the year on a high note as they attained the qualifying standards for the 2017 Carifta Games as they competed in the RC Athletics Throwers Meet at the University of the Bahamas field on Saturday.
#Jordan Lewis achieved his feat when he won the under-20 boys’ discus with a toss of 45.81 metres, while Laquell Harris joined him in surpassing the mark in the under-20 girls’ discus with her heave of 41.31m.
#Both athletes represented the Blue Chips Athletic Throwers Club that was formed a year ago under the direction of Corrington Maycock, now a IAAF Level II certified coach.
#Their performances, among the others from the large number of competitors who competed in the offseason meet, left meet director Ronald Cartwright beaming with excitement for the upcoming season that will get underway on Saturday with the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Odd Distance Meet at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.
#“I think the meet went very well,” said Ronald Cartwright, the head coach of the RC Athletics Throwers Club. “We had a lot more competitors than we had in the past, so that is a good sign. It’s very encouraging to see how many athletes are taking the throwing event so serious.
#“And from the meet, we had two persons who did the Carifta qualifying standards. I was really pleased with that. I think as the season progresses, we should be able to see a lot more throwers qualifying for Carifta because they now have a base to work with during the offseason.”
#Lewis said all of the hard work during the offseason is paying off and he’s gotten off to a great start, having qualified in the discus. He credited the competition he got for him attaining the standard so early.
#With his best throw coming on the fifth of his six attempts, Lewis won over Isiah Daxon, who did 38.16m on his third attempt for second place. Tristan Sherman got third with 32.32 on his first attempt.
#The order was reversed in the shot put as Daxon pulled off the win with 12.51m on his first attempt over Lewis, who did 12.04m on his sixth attempt. Kevin Sears got third with 11.73m on his third attempt.
#As for Harris, her toss of 41.31m was well over the under-20 girls’ discus Carifta qualifying standard of 41m. She beat out archrival Tiffany Hanna, who did 37.82m on her fourth attempt. Latavia Braynen got third with 26.12 on her fourth attempt.
#“I’m so glad that I qualified,” Harris said. “I came out here to do much better than I did, but I am satisfied with what I did.”
#Hanna, however, won the shot put with a heave of 11.46m, while Harris came in second with 11.13m.
#“The competition was good. I know now what I have to work on and I’m going to do that in training so that I can get the qualifying standard too,” Harris said.
#Some of the other performances of note came from Annamarie Oriaki, who dominated the girls under-14 division, winning the triple crown in the shot, discus and javelin.
# Dachye Stubbs was a double winner in the girls’ under-18 shot and discus as was Selena Brown, the older sister of collegian Serena Brown in the open women’s shot and discus.
# Johnny Jean-Jacques won the boys under-20 shot and discus
#Cartwright said that while they have not been able to generate the kind of funding necessary to host their throwers meet without a gate receipt, he said the response could be a lot better from those persons who wish to come out and cheer on the throwers.
#Here’s a look at the results posted at the meet:
#Girls Under-14 shot put – Annamarie Oriaki 9.46m (2nd att); Gabrial Murphy 8.89m (2nd att); Hailey Butler 8.58m (4th att).
#Girls under-14 discus – Annamarie Oriaki 23.91m (6th att).
#Girls under-14 javelin – Annamarie Oriaki 14.10 (6th att).
#Girls under-16 shot put – Garryn Scott 10.23m (4th att); Gewendolyn Lightbourne 9.23m (1st att); Jenae Higgs 8.90m (2nd att).
#Girls under-16 discus – Gwendolyn Lightbourne 19.81m (5th att); Candice Green 18.57m (5th att); Patrinique Johnson 11.05m (1st att).
#Girls under-16 javelin – Rhema Otabor 23.70 (4th att); Edricka McQueen 22.95 (6th att).
#Girls under-18 shot put – Dachye Stubbs 11.30m (2nd att); Acacia Astwood 10.46m (2nd att); Latia Saunders 10.26m (3rd att).
#Girls under-18 discus – Dachye Stubbs 33.44m (3rd att); Darranette Wright 25.94m (3rd att); Sydney Butler 25.75m (5th att).
#Girls under-18 javelin – Latia Saunders 25.90m (6th att); Jeva McCoy 25.30 (3rd att).
#Girls under-20 shot put – Tiffany Hanna 11.46m (2nd att); Laquell Harris 11.13m (2nd att).
#Girls under-20 discus – Laquell Harris 41.31 (3rd att); Tiffany Hanna 37.82m (4th att); Latavia Braynen 26.12m (4th att).
#Open girls shot put – Selena Brown 9.56m (2nd att); Tanisha Ingraham 9.18m (4th att).
#Open girls discus – Selena Brown 30.65m (3rd att); Tanisha Ingraham 19.17m (1st att).
#Open girls javelin – Sara Penn 24.60 (5th att); Tanisha Ingraham 24.16m (5th att).
#Boys under-16 discus – Tarajh Hudson 37.17m (2nd att); Devonte Rolle 27.34 (3rd att); Cecil Roberts 20.46 (2nd att).
#Boys under-18 shot put – Isiah Daxon 12.51m (1st att); Jordan Lewis 12.04m (6th att); Kevin Sears 11.73m (3rd att).
#Boys under-18 discus – Jordan Lewis 45.81m (5th att); Isiah Daxon 38.16m (3rd att); Tristan Sherman 32.32m (1st att).
#Boys under-18 javelin – Michaelangelo Bullard 41.28m (5th att).
#Bopys under-20 shot put – Johnny Jean-Jacques 14.10m (3rd att); Lynarchieo Moxey 11.87m (1st att); Bronson Rolle 11.04m (5th att).
#Boys under-20 discus – Johnny Jaques 41.59m (5th att); Lynarchieo Moxey 33.50m (4th att).
#Boys under-20 javelin – Bronson Rolle 51.50m (3rd att).
#Open boys shot put – Anton Lightbourne 13.05m (2nd att); Bradley Cooper 12.40m (4th att); Ken Mullings 11.56m (4th att).
#Open boys discus – Bradley Cooper Jr 43.83m (6th att); Anton Lightbourne 43.12m (5th att); Ken Mullings 41.68m (1st att).