THE VALLEY, Anguilla – ST. KITTS once again asserted its dominance at the Leeward Island Youth Track & Field Championships this weekend, winning the competition for the 12th straight time with a total of 59 medals.
The returning champions began the competition in top form on Saturday (May 22) when Kizan David and Husani Rouse claimed the gold and silver in the Boys U-13 Long Jump with leaps of 4.93m and 4.71m, respectively.
From that point forward, the 35-athlete contingent from St. Kitts was able to maintain their lead thanks to gold medal winning performances from Namibia Clavier, Samuel Oyebefun, Shenella Mitchum, Ke’Jon Parris, Demitre Browne, Clairvon Kelly, Israel Liburd and Shanice Elliot.
Gold medals were also won on Saturday in the Boys and Girls U-13 and U-15100m relay teams.
Speaking to SKNVibes, Head Coach Stuart Joseph said he believed St. Kitts could have won gold medals in the U-11 relay categories as well had two key athletes not been pulled from the squad at the last minute due to injuries earlier in the day.
The second day of the competition also saw St. Kitts easily leading the pack, particularly in the 100m events. Gold medals were won on the final day of competition by Jahnazza Francis, Xiaoyu Harris, Jermaine Francis, Shenella Mitchum, Ke’Jon Parris, Oksanna Isaac, Demitre Browne, Shanice Elliot and Josiah Oyebefun.
Joseph said he was exceedingly pleased with the team’s overall performance, though did seem some minor areas for improvement ahead of July’s Caribbean Union of Teachers Games to be held in St. Kitts.
“It was an outstanding performance,” he said. “I would say in 95 per cent of the areas we performed as well as I expected. We still have some things to work on before the CUT Games, but I think we are looking good overall.”
Among the areas that need improvement before July, the coach said some of the younger children must learn to stay in their lanes when running. He also noted that minor weaknesses in the 400m were exposed at the Leeward Islands Championships.
St. Kitts finished the event on top of the medal table with 24 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals, while runner-up British Virgin Islands trailed well behind with 10 gold, seven silver and 11 bronze medals.
Antigua claimed a third place finish overall with seven gold, five silver and eight bronze medals, while Nevis came in fifth overall with four gold, nine silver and eight bronze.
Team St. Kitts will return to the Federation this morning and will have a short break before returning to their training for the CUT Games.
