The Usain Bolt Complex witnessed exceptional athletic prowess on Wednesday as primary schools competed fiercely in the Chef Foods NAPSAC Championships’ PediaSure Anton Norris Zone. All Saints’ Primary emerged victorious in the girls’ division with a commanding total of 280 points, significantly outpacing Hillaby Turners Hall (216 points) and Reynold Weekes Primary (200 points) who secured second and third positions respectively.
In the boys’ competition, Reynold Weekes Primary demonstrated overwhelming dominance by capturing the zone championship title with a massive 290-point haul. Arthur Smith Primary claimed second place with 156 points, while All Saints’ Primary followed closely in third with 155 points.
The event spotlighted extraordinary individual performances, particularly from Under 11 competitors Tylisa Small of Welches Primary and Nathaniel Whittaker of Reynold Weekes. Small earned the prestigious Victrix Ludorum honor with triple victories in the 300m, 200m, and Long Jump events. Simultaneously, Whittaker secured the Victor Ludorum title with his impressive wins in the 100m, 200m, and 300m races.
Record-breaking achievements highlighted the championship as Small established new benchmarks in the Long Jump with a leap of 3.84m (surpassing the previous 3.58m record) and in the 300m with a time of 46.99 seconds. Whittaker similarly excelled by setting a new zone record of 46.85 seconds in the 300m event.
Veteran track and field coach Jasper Blades provided expert commentary, noting the consistent improvement in performances across the NAPSAC meet. “Schools that invest consistent training and competition opportunities for their children naturally achieve superior results,” Blades observed. He anticipates intriguing developments in upcoming quarterfinals and semifinals as athlete transitions between schools may reshape competitive dynamics.