Clay­ton Clarke

Peren­ni­al na­tion­al zon­al cham­pi­ons To­ba­go will hold its zon­al cham­pi­onships to­day and to­mor­row at the Dwight Yorke Sta­di­um, Ba­co­let. The two-day meet will see the top ath­letes from pow­er hous­es Scar­bor­ough Sec­ondary, Sig­nal Hill Sec­ondary, Bish­ops high bat­tling against Rox­bor­ough Sec­ondary, Ma­son Hall Sec­ondary, Spey­side high, Good­wood high, Pen­te­costal Light and Life and Har­mon School of SDA. Scar­bor­ough will start as favourites with the likes of Carif­ta medal­lists Ron Wright and Kene­jah Will­liams. Wright was crowned Scar­bor­ough cham­pi­on in the boys un­der 17 100/200/long jump and high jump.

Williams will start as favourite in the boys un­der 17 shot put and dis­cus throws. Joel Thomas will be one to look out for among the boys un­der 14 com­peti­tor af­ter he swept the 100/200/400/long jump and high jump events. Xavier Cae­sar (boys un­der 15 100/LJ/HJ), Carif­ta rep­re­sen­ta­tive Brit­ney Bed­low (girls un­der 17 shot/dis­cus) are ex­pect­ed to lead the way for the al­ma mater of 2009 World Cham­pi­onships 400m bronze medal­list Ren­ny Quow.

Sig­nal Hill will re­ly on Chev­elle Mc Pher­son who cap­tured the girls un­der 15 100/200/LJ and shot ti­tles at the school's sport meet ear­li­er month. Na­tion­al ath­letes And­wuel­lle Wright (Boys un­der 17 100/LJ) and Tyriq Hors­ford (boys un­der 14 100/200/LJ) will be among the favourites in their events. World Cham­pi­onships women's 100m bronze medal­list Kel­ly Ann Bap­tiste at­tend­ed Sig­nal Hill Sec­ondary. Carif­ta gold medal­lists Mark Lon­don and Sher­von Wor­rell head the list of com­peti­tors for Bish­ops high. Lon­don, the 2010 dou­ble Carif­ta win­ner will con­test the boys un­der 20 800/1500 af­ter he cap­tured the 400/800 and 1500 at Bish­ops Sports while 2011 Carif­ta Boys un­der 17 dis­cus cham­pi­on Wor­rell will do bat­tle in the boys un­der 20 shot put and dis­cus. Franklyn Stanis­claus (Boys un­der 14 100/200/400), Rayshon Al­leyne (boys un­der 15 400/800/1500), Ed­son Moses (Boys un­der 17 LJ/HJ), Natasha Radg­man (girls un­der 17 400/1500) and Tr­ishelle Lea­cock (girls un­der 17 100/200). An­oth­er of To­ba­go World Cham­pi­onships medal­list, 2009 women's 400m hur­dles bronze medal­list, Josanne Lu­cas was for­mer stu­dent of Bish­op high.

Je­mali Gor­don and Kyamike Adams will lead the charge for Rox­bor­ough. Gor­don cap­tured the boys un­der 15 100/200/400/1500 at Rox­bor­ough last month will Adams took the same events in the girls un­der 15 di­vi­sion. Shan­ice Sylvester (girls un­der 20 100/200/400) and Jay­lon Tay­lor (boys un­der 20 100/200) will all vie for ho­n­ours school of na­tion­al 800m record hold­er Sheri­dan Kirk. Ma­son Hall's hope will be on mul­ti­ple Carif­ta medal­list Nicholas Dou­glas. The 2010 na­tion­al vic­tor lu­do­ri­um will con­test the boys un­der 17 100/200 and pos­si­bly the 400 and long jump events. Shane­cia Ed­wards (girls un­der 20), Che Bai­ley (boys un­der 17), Jar­ren Gunn (boys un­der 20) and Nicholas Dou­glas will all rep­re­sent Ma­son Hall. Ed­wards was named to the top fe­male ath­lete of Ma­son Hall while Bai­ley and Gunn tied for the most out­stand­ing male ti­tle. Za­kiya De­noon and Shale­na Richards will be the best bets to star for Spey­side. De­noon, a 2011 Carif­ta medal­list, is ex­pect­ed to con­test the girls un­der 20 100, 200 an 400 will Richards may con­test the girls un­der 14 age group in all three sprints. Lead­ing Pen­te­costal are Nathalia Thomas and Shawnea Smith who cap­tured five gold medals each at Pen­te­costal's sport meet. Thomas took the girls un­der 17 100, 200, 400, LJ and HJ while Smith tri­umphed in the same events in the girls un­der 14 di­vi­sion. Jo­vani Phillips (boys un­der 15), Ma­lik Tabell (boys un­der 17) are ex­pect­ed to lead the way for the Smith­field based school.