Heat turns up on Day 2 of Nationals
DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 18, 2019
Today marks the second day of the 59th National Schools’ Athletic Championship. The competition heated up at the National Aquatic Centre and the National Park, with fifteen districts vying for the top spot.
The defending champion, District 10 – Upper Demerara/Kwakwani, is aiming to capture the title for the fifth consecutive year. Based on preliminary results, District 11 – North Georgetown, poses a sufficient lead over their rival (district 10) in the swimming competition.
The National Park was crowded with spectators from each district in support of the young cyclists who tore up the pathway; while over at the National Aquatic Centre swimmers took to the pool in a display of clean and coordinated strokes.
17-year-old Amy Grant is competing in her tenth consecutive year in the swim event. “It’s really exciting because this will be my second-to-last year here, so the environment and everything [is] bringing back memories, every year making new memories, every year getting better and better in terms of experience [and]making new friends and just having a good time.” Grant, a Marian Academy student-athlete, represents District 11.
Jade Adwell, also from Marian Academy, is competing in her third consecutive championship. Adwell, representing District 11 in the pool said, “It’s an honour for me to even make it here because it means that I would have to be the best under 18 swimmer in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke and 100m freestyle, so for me to come here and represent my district at Nationals it really means a lot to me to have that opportunity… because the completion is really stiff and a lot of people don’t have this opportunity.”
Organised by the Ministry of Education and the GTU, the week of events will be held at National Track and Field Center, the National Aquatic Centre in Edinburgh, and the National Park to accommodate the various activities. Approximately 1,600 students and teachers are scheduled to participate.
The action continues on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.