Jr. Girls at the start of their 1500m run, won by Marika Potter 2nd from right
MARCH 24—O’Neal—House 2—will take a 20 points lead over defending champs Flemming-House 3—into the March 28-29 Elmore Stoutt High School Inter-House Athletics Championships, where seven records fell during the pre-events that wrapped up on Wednesday.
O’Neal, House 2 had amassed 180 points, Flemming, House 3, 160; Carlisle, House 4, 135 and Lettsome, House 1, 115.
Highlighting the seven records that fell was Carlisle’s Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner who not only snatched two—in the 3000m and 1500m respectively—both were National Youth Records, National Jr. Records, National Records and National Scholastic Records.
Warner, who has been burning up the track, claimed her third National Record when she added her name to the 1500m mark, during Tuesday’s pre events to wipe Chantal Scatliffe’s 17-year old mark of 5 minutes, 09.9 seconds from the National Record books. She became the territory’s first female athlete to run under 5:00.00, minutes, when she crossed the line in 4:50.50. Her time also shredded Ereia Smith's Intermediate Girls, 1990 meet record of 5:19.0.
On Friday, March 16, the 14 year old took down Darwn Peters’ eight year old 3000m national mark of 11 minutes, 50.67 seconds, when she stopped the clock at 10:53.1. The time shattered Malikah Junkere’s meet record of 13:37.7 and demolished Clair Powell’s 23-year old Scholastic Record of 12:41.6 in the process.
Warner’s National Record spree began on March 10, during the Carifta Games Trials/National Jr. Championships, when she improved her own 800m National Youth and National Scholastic Record from 2 minutes, 17.59 seconds to 2:13.30.
Other meet records were claimed by Flemming’s Niayla Smith—who took down Chantal Scatliffe’s Sr. Girls 1500m of 5 minutes 47.8 from 1996, with a run of 5:18.75.
Lettsome’s Tynelle Gumbs, whipped Debbie Maduro’s 22-year Intermediate Girls Discus Throw mark of 27.64m, when she tossed the platter 28.83m in the competition.
O’Neal’s Kala Penn erased Amberly Crabbe´s Jr. Girls Triple Jump record of 9.92m established in 1998, when she hopped, stepped and bounded 10.08m.
Dekoya Hodge, another O’Neal House athlete took down Janyka Jennings Jr. Girls Javelin Throw mark of 18.07m which she set last year, with a toss of 19.21m.
Inter-house sports day action is expected to begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday with the opening ceremonies.