Side events thrill fans at Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival

By Treiston Joseph

While the relay action was thrilling at the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Fun Day, the other events packed into the day’s programme caught the attention of the large crowd in attendance on Sunday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

The relays had fans on the edge of their seats, but one of the races of the day was between Vaneiro Edwards and Uttamkumar Isurdeen, both wheelchair-bound, differently-abled athletes. With the crowd cheering them on, Edwards captured the race just ahead of Isurdeen in a tight finish as one of the more exciting side events of the day.

Edwards spoke with News Room Sport after the race sharing some of the emotion to be able to perform at an event like the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival, while encouraging other persons who are in similar position as his to always be positive. 

“It’s amazing to come out here and do something like this; it empowers me and gives me more self esteem to come out at these types of events. I’m encouraging persons in wheelchairs to come out and be part of this kind of thing because we all know it’s a struggle for us but we are still living. 

“At first it’s a bit of struggle to get out in public to know that society really condemns some part of disable persons, but we can overcome that with the support from others,” Edwards stated. 

Raul Leal and Walter Grant-Stuart won their respective cycle races with Leal easily taking the 3,000m mountain bike event. Grant-Stuart, who only has one arm, won the 5,000m cycling event with some brilliant riding by lapping the field after being given a 200m head start. 

In five a-side football action, Agricola Champion Boys came out as the victors, defeating Broad Street Bullies in the final. The final scoreline read 1-1, but it would take a 2-1 penalty finish for Agricola to walk away with the win. 

Meanwhile, in the day’s cricket action, Trophy Stall won both the Male and Female softball games. The Trophy Stall Male team topped the Boyce/Jefford Allstar team by 38 runs. Trophy Stall posted 99-3 off 10 overs and held the Boyce/Jefford Allstars to 61-7 after their ‘big gun’ Christopher Barnwell only managing to hit one six before being dismissed. 

On the distaff side, Trophy Stall Angels recorded a 33-run win against Mike’s Wellwomen XI.