The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, will have to make more room in its silverware cabinet after the track and field team copped third place at the 51st staging of the intercollegiate meet – smashing two records in the process.
 

Keisha Walkes, smashed the record for the shot put and the discus, posting new distances of 15.82 and 47.60 metres respectively. Her teammate Nadia Alexander reinforced the UWI domination in the field, taking second place in both events.  Blessings Forbes took home the bronze medal in the women’s javelin throw.
 

Blessings Forbes

Clean Sweep

There was a clean sweep in the middle distance events, with national representative, Tannice Barnett, snatching gold in the 800, 1500 and 3000 metres events. Her teammate Chanique Cousins placed fourth in the 800 metres, while Najuma Commissiong placed fifth and fourth in the 1500 and 3000 metres races.
Kimberley Slater also got amongst the medals, picking up a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles.
That rounded off the medal tally for the women, for they failed to medal in the sprints and the relays, but the men’s team picked up, finishing third in all three relay events.

David Dunn missed the podium in 100m event, but came back in the 200m to win the silver, stopping the clock at 21.51. Tywayne Buchanan’s time of 47.65 earned him third place in the 400m.
 

Hansel Parchment, who is currently pursuing his studies under a sports scholarship, finished first in the 110m hurdles, with a time of 14.83.

Darnelle Garwood failed to match his personal best of 2.08m in the high jump, and had to settle for second place with a jump of 1.95 metres.

Aldane Dunn was third with a jump of 1.90m. In the men’s triple jump, Delroy Salmon finished third with a leap of 13.68m. Roland Hemmingham, with a throw of 46.24 in the javelin, rounded out the medals for the men.

Cosmo Stephens, UWI Male Athlete of the Year 2009 and double medallist at last year’s games, failed to get amongst the medals this year, finishing sixth in the 1500 metres.

The two-day track meet, which was held at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine, ran from March 19-20. Eleven teams from across the island participated. The University of Technology (Utech) was named champions in both the male and female sections, dethroning last year’s champion in the female section, GC Foster, who was second in both sections.

UWI amassed 119 points in the men’s section and 122 in the women’s section. According to head of the UWI Sports Department, Dalton Myers, the performances of the athletes over the two day period is proof that the change in UWI’s sports policy, including the offering of scholarships that began in 2008, is beginning to bear some fruit.

“It was a great meet for the UWI,” he said.  “The achievements of all the athletes are commendable. With additional support, we can challenge for the title next year.”

Youlanda Henry

Sports Department Writer