STETHS reign supreme at Western Champs

Three record-breaking performances from St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) spearheaded their dominant showing at yesterday's County of Cornwall Athletics Association Western Championships at the STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz.

The host claimed their seventh straight hold on the boys title amassing 430.5 points ahead of Cornwall College (235) and Petersfield (183). The girls team amassed 368 points to end Rusea's four-year hold on the girls' title. Rusea's only managed 172.5 and Rhodes Hall's 146.

Shamer Blake, Euvia Bennett and the class three boys 4x100 metres team all from STETHS rewrote the record books.

Bennett set the pace for the day, smashing the girls 3000 metres open record with 11.22.24 minutes in the second race on the card to erase the previous 11.26.03 minutes. Her teammates Deondrea Wint (12.11.42 minutes) was second.

Blake hurried to 54.52 seconds to break the class two boys 400 metres hurdles, the previous record was 54.74 seconds. His teammate Rajaen Davis finished third in 59.40 seconds behind Petersfield's Romaine Campbell (57.45s).

The record-breaking relay team stopped the clock at 43.91 seconds to erase the old mark of 43.99, ahead of Cornwall College (47.50s).

Outstanding performance

Bennett, who admitted to being determined to break the record ahead of the race, said she is going after another outstanding performance come national championships.

"It was great. I actually came out here prepared and confident to run and break the record and I did exactly that so I'm proud of myself. People can look for something great from Euvia Bennett (at Champs) because I'm eyeing another good time and a medal finish," Bennett said.

Blake is also looking forward to replicate his record-breaking performance.

"I am happy with my performance in both events, especially breaking the 400m hurdles record. It wasn't hard for me because I've been training for it and knew I could break the record today (yesterday). I'm looking forward to Champs, of course. I want to win at Champs or at least place among the medals," Blake said.

Coach of STETHS, Reynaldo Walcott, who was pleased by his athletes' performances, said he was pleasantly surprised by the records.

"Euvia Bennett, for the past week has been singing about trying to break the record. We were downplaying it and telling her just to go out and run hard to win. However, she has this strong determination and self-belief, so at the end of the day she proved that she has the mettle to prove us wrong," Walcott said.

"Shamer has really turned things around. He wasn't this focused last year but he has committed to listening this year. It's like seeing a tree grow and he is flowering now. I'm really, really happy for them," he said.