By Raymond Graham, Freelance WriterIN THE most exciting ever Inter-Collegiate Track and Field Championships, defending and many-time male champions the University of Technology had to share the spoils with G.C. Foster College as both teams finished with 200 points and top honours in claiming the Edna Manley Trophy.
It took the final event, the men's 4x400 metres, to decide the Championships as G.C. Foster College had a two-point lead but a brilliant anchor leg by UTech's Winston Smith proved decisive as, after getting the baton some five metres ahead of Jermaine Myers, he extended the lead at the end and ensured the the defending champions kept their fine record intact.
In the female section, it was a different story as G.C. Foster continued their dominance as they amassed 192.5 points to finish ahead of an improved UTech on 113 points with the University of West Indies finishing a disappointing third on 72 points.
Yesterday's final day of the two day championships saw some outstanding performances but the absence of a wind gauge reading denied athletes of legal marks.
Former Vere Technical athlete, Kashelia Reid, competing for G.C. Foster was undoubtedly the star as she erased Marlene Lewin 20-year record of 46.04 metres with an impressive 46.40m in the women's discus. Earlier, she had captured the shot put with 12.54m to complete a throwing double.
SIMPSON SCORCHES TRACK
On the track in the female section the star was UTech's Sherone Simpson. Following her impressive run at the Gibson Relays this year where she scorched the track in 11.12 seconds, she proved that it was no fluke as she sprinted to an impressive sprint double. In the 100m she raced to a 11.16 seconds win then returned to take the 200m in 23.55.
Another outstanding performance in the female section came from UWI's Toni Ann Doyley in the 100m hurdles as she equalled her record of 13.40 seconds set two years ago by capturing the event easily. Not to be outdone, former World Junior 400m bronze medallist Sheryl Morgan captured that event in 53.79 while the improved Kerrian Stewart of UTech finished second in 54.47.
In the male section, the star of the meet was G.C. Foster's Decosmo Wright who captured two gold medals and one silver to be champion overall athlete. His victories came in the 110m hurdles (14.05m); discus (53.54m) while finishing second in the javelin with a throw of 56.63m.
