The 2012 track and field season officially got started on Saturday, with the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) hosting its annual Odd Distance Meet.
Athletes got to test their speed and strength after a long offseason. Many of the athletes who competed on Saturday, used the meet as a tracker, so they could monitor themselves early in the season. Although there were limited events on Saturday, athletes made the best of what BAAA President Mike Sands referred to as the association's very own indoor meet.
Getting her season off to a good start was Lanique Thompson, who won the under-seven girls 55 meters (m). Her time of 9.94 seconds gave her bragging rights over Jamiee Knowles and Trinity Bodie, who were second and third respectively, in times of 10.66 seconds and 11.85 seconds.
D'Arjha Davis won the under-9 girls 75m in 11.91 seconds. Shannon Donaldson was second in 12.50 seconds and Shaunece Miller finished third in 12.76 seconds. Davis also won the 150m in that division, clocking 24.12 seconds. Miller crossed the line in 24.35 seconds and Johnisha Nixon came in third in 25.97 seconds.
Running away with a double victory was Otto Laing, pulling off the 75m and the 150m in the under-nine boys division. Laing took the 75m in 11.25 seconds and the 150m in 22.88 seconds. Daniel Bodie and Malcolm Williams would juggle the second and third positions for the two events. Bodie got the nod for second in the 150m, stopping the clock at 23.44 seconds and Williams took the second place finish in the 75m, turning in a time of 11.53 seconds. While Williams settled for third in the 150m, Bodie crossed the finish line in 11.97 seconds for third place in the 75m.
Laing was not the only one doing a double-punch in the sprints. Jaida Knowles is off to a fast start, winning the under-11 girls 75m and the 150m in 10.25 seconds and 21.22 seconds respectively. Megan Moss finished second in both events. Moss' time in the 75m was 10.88 seconds and 22.15 seconds in the 150m. The under-11 boys also had a double winner, Kendrick Major.
Major turned in a time of 10.38 seconds to capture the 75m, Anthon Thompson followed in 10.72 seconds and Cephas Whylly finished third in 10.76 seconds. The winning time in the 150m, which was turned in by Major, was 20.79 seconds. Finishing second was Christopher Butler in 21.12
seconds and Thompson finished third in 21.47 seconds.
The High Performance Track and Field Club swept the under-13 boys 75m thanks to Godfrey Arthur and Kristin Major.
Arthur won in 9.82 seconds and Major came in second in 9.97 seconds. Jermaine Sepoudi, of Saints Athletics, was third in 10 seconds flat. Arthur also took the 300m, in 43.88 seconds. Christopher Johnson was second in 45.76 seconds and Major finished third in 46.38 seconds.
The sprints crown, in the under-13 girls division, was shared between Tanea Miller and Angel Collie. Miller got the better of Collie in the 75m, winning in 10.03 seconds, leaving Collie to settle for second in 10.22 seconds. Collie clocked 44.25 seconds, in the 300m, to take the title over Miller, who stopped the clock in 46.03 seconds.
The time of 18.44 seconds was enough to give Taj Dorsett the 150m crown, in the under-15 girls division. She got the win over Blayre Catalyn and Dawyona Pratt who turned in times of 18.76 seconds and 19.22 seconds respectively. Dorsett also won the 300m, in 43.99 seconds. Turning in the second best time was Ashonique Miller, in 45.31 seconds, and Yasmine Johnson clocked 45.59 seconds for third.
Winning the first field event title was Angel Willie, leaping 3.62m in the long jump event for under-13 girls. Over in the high jump event, Dreshanae Thompson cleared 1.57m for the win, Arien Strachan bowed out at 1.45m, and she was followed by Tiffany Hanna who had a best jump of 1.22m.
High Performance swept the under-15 boys high jump. Nitchev Casseus led the way with a 1.62m performance and Branson Rolle placed second with a best jump of 1.52m. The best of 4.24m in the long jump was enough for Jessica Capron, to win the under-17 girls title. Brashae Wood took the javelin crown, with a toss of 24.26m. Even though he was the sole competitor in the long jump event, Timothy Wilson used the opportunity to work on his technique. He closed with a best of 5.21m.
The under-17 girls 150m saw five dipped under the 19-second marker. Janae Ambrose and Makeya White pulled off a one-two punch for Club Monica Athletics with times of 18.25 seconds and 18.32 seconds respectively. Jeorjett Williams was third in 18.66 seconds. Ambrose came back to win the 300m, in 41.22 seconds. Crossing the finish line in 42.47 seconds was Khadija Fraser and Leasha Taylor was third in 43.06 seconds.
Anthonique Strachan and Devynne Charlton lined up in the women's 250m, after splitting the 150m and the 75m. Strachan, who won the shorter 75m race in 8.69 seconds, also captured the 250m in 29.44 seconds. Charlton trailed Strachan and crossed the line in 32.56 seconds. Carlissa Russell was third in 33.63 seconds.
In the 150m, Charlton stopped the clock in 17.63 seconds, and Ronnecia Ferguson and Courtney Thompson were second and third respectively in times of 17.94 seconds and 18.22 seconds. The open women's high jump was won by Andriel Strachan with a height of 1.57m, and Chandra Parker took the javelin event with a throw of 18.70m.
Shane Jones, of Moore's Island, came to town and ran off with the open men's 75m dash in 8.19m. He finished second in the 250m, in 28.66 seconds. Winning the 250m was Antillio Bastian in 27.66 seconds, and Jones placed third in 29 seconds flat.
Running away with the open men's 350m was Elroy McBride, who also came in town from Moore's Island. McBride clocked 41.32 seconds, Jamaal Moss trailed him in 41.50 seconds and Danzell Fortson was third in 41.60 seconds.
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
