By Adrian Frater, News EditorWESTERN BUREAU:
WESTMORELAND, BEHIND a scintillating display by double female sprint champion, Andrea Johnson, dethroned St. James and lifted the Sandals Group of Companies Trophy, symbol of Area One Police Athletics' supremacy last Thursday at the Elletson Wakeland Youth Centre in Falmouth.
"We came here expecting to win and we did just what was expected," said Superintendent Cecil Fletcher, the commanding officer for the Westmoreland police, whose team also took home the Guardian Life Trophy for being the most improved team. "I would like to congratulate the members of the team for a job well done."
On a day of high excitement, on and off the track, the Westmoreland cops amassed 168 points to upstage their St. James counterparts, who finished in second position on 136 points. Trelawny, with 83 points and Hanover, with 66 points, took third and fourth places, respectively.
While Johnson, who won the female 100m and 200m and anchored the 4x100m and the sprint medley team to victory, was the undisputed star for the Westmoreland team, Trelawny's Ronda Moulton, who emerged as both female and overall champions of the meet; and St. James' Wycliff Williams, the overall male champion, were clearly the outstanding performers.
Moulton, who amassed 25 points, won the female high jump and had second place finishes in the 400m, 200m Sack Race and Long Jump as well as a third place finish in the 800m. Williams, who totalled 16 points, won the male 1,500m and had third place finishes in the 100m, 400m and 800m.
In addition to Johnson, Westmoreland championship success was also inspired by the likes of male sprinter Okane Rose, who won the coveted 100m and placed second in both the 200m and 400m, the female 4x100m and sprint medley teams, which won gold medals; and the male 4x400m, which closed the meet with a dazzling display to take the gold medal.
For outgoing champion St. James, their high quality performances came from male sprinter Gregory Miller, who took gold in both the 100m and 200m; female quarter-miler Keisha Bent, who copped the 400m; their male 4x100m relay team, which finished in front of Westmoreland and their Tug-O-War, which won the gold medal.
Despite being left to take home the bucket, a fate reserved for the bottom placed team, it was not all gloom for Hanover. Marva Cunningham, who emerged the rose among the thorns, won the female discus and placed second in the shot put. Hanover also had a good third place finish in the Tug-O-War.
