GDF ‘three-peat’ at Inter Services Athletics and Swimming Championships

By Treiston Joseph

Not even brilliant performances by Winston George and Alita Moore of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) could’ve stopped the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) from claiming their ‘three-peat’ when the final day of the Inter Services Athletics and Swimming Championships were held on Friday (November 4) at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

The Guyana Defence Force amassed 810 points to win the over-all title for the third consecutive year while the GPF finished on 709 points for second. The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) was second on 117 points while the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) brought up the rear with 107 points.

Switching gears to action on the track, Olympian Winston George was in top form winning a sprint triple in the men’s 100 (10.24s), 200 (20.67s) and 400 metres (46.91s).

Akeem Stewart of GDF put up the biggest resistance against George, clocking 10.38s in the 100 metres and 21.26s in the 200 metres. Rupert Perry was third in the 100 metres with a time of 10.39s and Linton Mentis finished second in the 200 metres with a time of 21.58s.

Jason Yaw (48.17s) and Winston Dummette (48.52s) were the finishers in the men’s 400 metres.

Not to be outdone, Damon Williams of GDF won a field treble; victories in the men’s triple, long and high jumps to finish as joint champion male athlete with George.

Meanwhile, GPF’s Moore was the lone female champion athlete, winning a sprint triple in the 100 (11.83s), 200 (24.51) and 400 metres (56.60s).

Aniqua Powley of GDF placed second in the female 100 metres 11.92s and Nikita Joseph (12.41s) third while in the 200m GDF’s Natrena Hooper (25.12s) and Joseph (25.60s) finished second and third respectively.

GDF’s Ornesto Thomas made a sterling return to the tack by winning the men’s 800 earlier in the week and 1500 metres in 4:18.44s after taking a year long hiatus from the sport. Odwin Tudor (4:19.05s) and Cleveland Forde (4:19.33s) completed a GDF sweep of the men’s 1500 metres.

In the female 1500 metres, Jevina Sampson of GPF won the event in 5:08.40s after taking third in the female 400 metres earlier in the afternoon.

In relay action on the final day, Police took the male and female 4×100 and 4×400 metres events to bring the curtains down on the championships.