Soldiers have male sprint advantage

Oct 07, 2011 Sports

– but can they overhaul police’s lead?

By Edison Jefford
When the dust settles at Base Camp Ayanganna Ground this evening, one of two facts will come to the fore of an enduring track and field rivalry between the police and soldiers. The combat will certainly determine who has legitimate claims to athletic prowess.
It is one of two things; either, the police extend their Day II 46-point lead to become the first unit to retain the Inter-Services Championships since the event was restarted in 2008 or soldiers, in an astounding twist of fortunes, swing the pendulum in their favour.
With one of the two possible outcomes looming today, it makes for an intriguing final day battle between the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, whom have both ostracised the Guyana Fire Service and Guyana Prison Service from title contention.
The soldiers’ strength is obviously among their male sprinters with the fastest man in the country at the moment, Rupert Perry on their team. Perry had no problems becoming the top qualifier and holder of the leading times in both the 100m and 200m preliminaries.
Quinse Clarke showed why he cannot be ruled out from taking a top podium place in both sprints with wins in his heats as well. Perry and Clarke were the top qualifiers from the heats and will be looking to add valuable points to the Defence Force with leading placements.
The Police’s, Winston George stand in their way, but Perry will know that he has a psychological advantage over George after beating him at Gymkhana two weeks ago. If Clarke gets it right, and lands a place ahead of George, then the soldiers are looking at top points.
These three athletes are likely to be among the top three in the male 100m today. However, there is the outside chance for Jermaine Newton to get on the podium if the soldiers are thinking about a clean sweep in the race; Police’s Keith Roberts is hardly a threat these days.
The same analysis can be applied to the 200m. Today will be much about tactics, and planning as it will be about performance. When the soldiers won the title two years ago at the same ground, it was a similar situation with the Police in the lead heading into the final day.
Police Coach, Lyndon Wilson appears to be cognisant of the fact that he cannot take anything for granted at the Base Camp Ayanganna Ground today. He told Kaieteur Sport that the team will be increasing the pressure that they have been applying in the field events, on the track.
“My team is working toward a goal. We are going out there looking to maintain and improve the lead. We know our strengths and we have to use them smartly; we are going to be sticking to the game plan and our athletes will do what they have to do,” Wilson said.
One of the police’s strengths is definitely their female sprinters. Nadine Rodrigues has looked as dominant as in her prime as a junior athlete. Leota Babb has also qualified impressively from the heats for the police; both athletes have what it takes to arrest the sprint events.
However, there is an X-Factor; her name is Tiffany Smith; she cannot be called an underdog and she certainly is not a wildcard for the Defence Force. Smith is an X-Factor for two main reasons: her preliminary times were slower than Rodrigues and Babb, and she seems to be suffering from a right thigh injury that had her limping after both sprint heats earlier this week.
If Smith gets it right today then the results would be interesting. Her only support will come from Rushell Coates, who has already given the soldiers points with her second place in the long jump event. But analytically, the Police have the female sprints tied down.
In the middle distance departments, it seems as though the soldiers will have to work harder with the Police having in its arsenal, Janella Jonas, Trevor Scotland, Dennis Horatio, and Larry Josiah to throw at them, but again this will be a tactical affair among the forces.
Cleveland Forde and Ashanti Scott have already won the male 5000m and female 3000m for the soldiers earlier this week. Forde is likely to battle in the 800m and 1500m with teammate Tyshon Bentick supporting against Scotland, Horatio and maybe Josiah.
The bottom line is that things could get ‘sticky’ today as one of the closest battles for the coveted Joint-Services Track and Field title reaches its climax. The point is regardless of the outcome the combat among the forces promises to be historical in more ways than one.

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Soldiers have male sprint advantage

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