Harrison College’s athletic dynasty shone brightly at the Usain Bolt Complex as siblings Luke and Laila McIntyre delivered a masterclass in distance running during the Dasani BSSAC Finals opening day. The CARIFTA Games-bound athletes not only defended their titles but shattered expectations with record-breaking performances.
Laila McIntyre, fresh from breaking the BSSAC 1500m record just last week, obliterated her own previous mark in the Open girls’ 3000m with a stunning time of 10:14.07. Her performance demolished last year’s record of 10:34.32 by more than twenty seconds, leaving competitors Alexis Lashley of The St Michael School and Taryn Sutherland of Combermere to claim second and third places respectively.
“I’m overwhelmed with my performance today,” Laila told Barbados TODAY. “Given my inconsistent results in 3000m events this season, achieving this time fills me with tremendous gratitude, especially with the CARIFTA Games in Grenada approaching next week.”
The younger McIntyre sibling revealed her strategic shift from swimming to track focus this year: “Last season I prioritized swimming preparation for CARIFTA, but this year I recognized the need to intensify my training regimen and maintain consistency for the track championships.”
Not to be outdone, brother Luke McIntyre dominated the Open boys’ 5000m, securing victory in 16:03.07 ahead of Harrison College teammate Zindzele Renwick-Williams and St George Secondary’s Tamarion Lynch.
The day’s field events saw Combermere’s Davion Thorne reclaim podium position for the two-time defending champions with a gold medal leap of 14.00m in the Under-20 boys’ triple jump. Jaquan Williams of Coleridge and Parry secured silver (13.87m) while Lynch added a second bronze to his collection (13.81m).
Preliminary 400m heats across all divisions set the stage for thrilling finals, with several athletes emerging as strong contenders. Standout performances included St Leonard’s Boys’ Jalino Hamlet (U15 boys, 50.72s) who appears poised to challenge his own record of 49.28s, and St George Secondary’s Shamari Greenidge-Lewis who led U20 boys qualifying in 47.34s.
The abbreviated opening day of track finals established clear favorites while demonstrating the remarkable depth of young athletic talent progressing through Barbados’ competitive sports system.