– Samuels, Williams, Headecker make podium
By Treiston Joseph
Guyana had a promising start to the South American Junior Championship at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, picking up three medals during the morning session through Anfernee Headecker, Avon Samuels and Daniel Williams.
Carifta silver medallist Headecker got the ball rolling for the Land of Many Waters with a bronze medal in the Boy’s 1500m. Headecker had a slower than usual start and could not outsprint Jeferson Alb Dos Santos of Brazil who took gold in 4:00.95s.
Headecker was jaded at the end, clocking 4:02.81s, while Jose Zabala of Argentina was second in 4:02.51s. Samuels ran a well-paced race in the Girls 400m for her silver medal, but was simply outclassed by Brazil’s Tiffani Beatriz Marinho of Brazil, who copped gold in 54.25s.
Samuels clocked 55.45s, using a brilliant start to outclass the remainder of the field; Karen Tat Segura Ocampo of Columbia finished with bronze in a time of 57.56s. The final medal of the morning session came from top quarter-miler Daniel Williams, who is a South American youth silver medallist, adding to his South American success with silver at the junior event.
Williams clocked 48.24s for his silver medal, losing out to Miguel Shepper of Suriname, who ran 47.90s. Mateo Pascual of Uruguay was a close bronze with a time of 48.30s. Guyana’s Laurindo Prince was also in the event and finished seventh with a time of 50.73s.
In 100m preliminary action, the Guyanese duo Compton Caesar and Tyrell Peters made it to the final with times of 10.86s and 11.10s respectively. Caesar was the second fastest qualifier with Derick De Souza Silva of Brazil having the fastest qualifying time of 10.64s.
On the distaff side in the 100m preliminary round, both Onasha Rogers and Kenisha Phillips are through to tonight’s (Saturday) final as well with times of 12.09s and 12.16s respectively. Rogers was the second fastest qualifier behind Brazil’s Lorraine Barb Martins with 11.89s.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s 100 metres hurdles event, Maribel Caicedo Vernaza of Ecuador won with a time of 14.32s, while Victoria Sena Bati Alves of Brazil took silver in 14.41s and Maria Valentina Sanchez bronze in 15.07s.
