BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ATHLETES of Washington Archibald High (WAHS) have proven that their school is the best at athletics in St. Kitts and Nevis as the learning institution emerged victorious at the 2013 TDC Inter-School Championships for the third consecutive year.
The three-day Championships, which ended yesterday (Mar. 24) at the Silver Jubilee Stadium, saw ‘Washie Wildcats’ being crowned champions with 19 gold medals and beating arch rivals Basseterre High School (BHS) into second place with 16.
Eleven schools participated in the Championships, and while Charles E. Mills Secondary took the third spot, Verchild’s High laid claim to the fourth, Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College to the fifth and Charlestown Secondary sixth.
For winning the Under-15 Boys 100M and 200M races as well as being a member of the winning team in the 4X400 Relay, and placing second in Under-15 Long Jump and a member of second place winners in the 4X100m Relay, C.J. Farrell of Charlestown Secondary was adjudged Victor Ludorum.
CARIFTA-bound athlete Krystal Liburd of Charles E. Mills Secondary was named Victrix Ludorum following her wins in the Under-17 Girls 100M and 200M races and the U-17 Girls Long Jump. She was a member of the second placed team in the 4X400M Relay.
Yesterday, the capacity crowd had also seen good performances from three other athletes who were selected to represent the Federation at the CARIFTA Games: Warren Hazel of Verchild’s High, who won the U-20 Boys 400M; Janthon Silliday, also of Verchild’s High, who won the Long Jump and placed second in the Javelin events in the U-20 Boys category; and Adrian Williams of Gingerland Secondary, who had beaten Silliday in the Javelin event.
In addition Farrell and Liburd, Sadiki Tyson of Gingerland Secondary School was adjudged Best Athlete in the U-17 Boys category, while Krystal Liburd of the Charles E. Mills Secondary took the honours in the Girls category.
And in the Boys U-20 category, Silliday emerged Best Athlete while on the distaff side, Denisia Maynard of Washington Archibald High laid claim to the title.
At the end of the first day of the Championships with eight completed events, Basseterre High was in the lead with two gold medals and WAHS was placed sixth with one gold.
However, on day two, WAHS took the lead with 11 gold, nine silver and four bronze medals against BHS’ nine gold, six silver and seven bronze medals, while Charles E. Mills Secondary were hot on their heels with six gold, nine silver and five bronze
The final day saw the Washie Wildcats maintaining their lead despite strong challenges from the two schools they led on the previous day.
Many spectators had left the Silver Jubilee Stadium very satisfied with the results of the Championships. They were very impressed with the performance of the athletes from BHS who made a commendable effort to finish in second place, despite the controversies that surrounded the school in the past months and with it not being able to host a sports day.
WAHS’s coach, Donnel Esdaile told SKNVibes that he felt elated in retaining the title and that the athletes had faced many challenges ahead of the meet.
Patrons and athletes of the various schools that participated in the Championships were treated to a classic display of speed when some of the nation’s top senior athletes competed for superiority in a 100M exhibition race.
That race had brought many spectators to their feet as the battle for first place was obviously being fought between Delwayne Delaney and Alester Clarke. The latter national athlete was the victor.
