In a stunning display of athletic prowess, Frangipani House emerged victorious at the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School track and field championships, held February 12th at the prestigious Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Overcoming an 18-point deficit from preliminary road race events, Frangipani executed a remarkable comeback through dominant performances in field events and track finals, ultimately securing the championship title with an impressive 813 points.
The competition witnessed intense rivalry among the top contenders. Cassia House, initially leading after strong road race performances, finished second with 767 points. Defending champions Flambouyant mounted a vigorous defense but ultimately settled for third place with 758 points, while Calabash House finished fourth with 655 points.
Frangipani’s victory was significantly propelled by the extraordinary performance of Armani Phillips in the Under-16 division. Phillips achieved a spectacular triple victory, claiming gold in the 100m (11.8 seconds), 200m (24.4 seconds), and 400m (59.2 seconds) events. His exceptional contribution extended beyond individual events as he anchored his team to a decisive victory in the 4x100m relay, having previously won the shot put competition, amassing 32 individual points for his house.
The games showcased remarkable talent across multiple age categories. In Division 3, Thassari Similien (Flambouyant) dominated the girls’ sprints with victories in the 100m (13.8 seconds) and 200m (28.6 seconds), while Shanice Gabriel (Frangipani) excelled in middle-distance events, winning the 400m (1:12.2) and 800m (3:08.3).
Under-18 competition featured standout performances from Alice Phillips (Calabash), who claimed the 400m (1:14.1), 800m (3:08.6), and open 1500m (7:25.7) titles. The boys’ U18 category saw a thrilling rivalry between Cornelius Edmund (Calabash) and Uraus Poleon (Frangipani), with Edmund securing the 100m title (11.7 seconds) and Poleon claiming victory in the 200m (24.8 seconds).
Younger athletes demonstrated exceptional promise, particularly Phoebe Jolie (Cassia) who dominated the Under-14 girls’ category with three gold medals in the 80m (11.5 seconds), 150m (21.0 seconds), and 300m (52.1 seconds). The Under-14 boys’ division witnessed Dowayne Jn Paul (Flambouyant) achieving a remarkable triple victory in the 300m (51.8 seconds), 600m (1:58.3), and 1200m (4:58.0), while teammate Nadius Hippolyte swept the sprint events with victories in the 80m (10.8 seconds) and 150m (20.4 seconds).