Simplex Athletic Club starlet Precious Holford grabbed three gold medals and aided her club's monopolisation of the prize rostrum during the Southern Games at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on Sunday.
After capturing three wins at the 2024 edition, Holford repeated the feat when the games returned from a one-year hiatus. Her haul was a part of the south-based institution's 14 medals won overall, with Simplex athletes winning of eight out of the 23 events on the athletics programme.
Holford's first triumph was in the mixed Under-17 4x200 metre relay. She ran the third leg as Simplex stopped the clock at one minute, 51.75 seconds. Tasia Debisette led off the race for Simplex, handing over to Niko Williams for the second, while Elijah Derrick anchored the team to victory. Trackblazers Presentation CO was the only other team represented in the race, clocking 1:55.89.
Holford returned to also win the girls' U-17 80m dash in a time of 10.43, leading a Simplex 1-2-3 with Amelia Jones second in 10.67, while Debisette collected her second medal of the day by claiming the bronze in 10.73.
The talented Holford, 16, then demonstrated her incredible range by also beating the field to win the girls U-17 300m gold medal, blazing a time of 47.20. The silver medal went to Dookie's Athletics' Keja Thomas, who clocked 47.31. Que'jaah Groves claimed bronze in 47.35, representing Trackblazers.
Simplex produced six athletes who copped multiple medals on the day. Sprinter Akilah Chinapoo was a member of the winning girls' U-15 4x200m relay team along with Gianni Felix, Naomi Coa and Joshua Solomon in a time of 1:58.33. The Trackblazers' quartet of Jaliyah Laidlow, Zane Rocke, Kya Dyer, and Keshorn Wilkinson took the silver in 1:58.78.
Chinapoo also won the girls' U-15 80m dash in 10.44, followed by Naomi Phillip of Cougars in 10.49 and Keniah Tommy of ZC Athletics in 10.64. Chinapoo's third medal of the day was a silver and came in the girls' U-15 200m, which was won by Tommy in 27.74. Chinapoo clocked 27.98, while Analeez Mussio of Redline International placed third in 28.70.
Desirae Campbell also claimed double gold, winning the individual open women's 300m in 47.67 ahead of ZC's Cherish Nedd (49.02) and Janice Gooding (49.86) of Fulfilling Athletic Dreams (FAD). Campbell also formed part of Simplex's winning team in the mixed open 4x200m relay, leading off for Naeem Nelson, Jael Archibald and Khareem Solomon to a winning time of 1:50.52. Stallions finished second in 1:54.15.
Southern Games results
Mixed U-15 4x200m relay: 1 Simplex (Akilah Chinapoo, Gianni Felix, Naomi Coa, Joshua Solomon) 1:58.33, 2 Trackblazers (Jaliyah Laidlow, Zane Rocke, Kya Dyer, Keshorn Wilkinson) 1:58.78
Mixed U-17 4x200m relay: 1 Simplex (Tasia Debisette, Niko Williams, Precious Holford, Elijah Derrick) 1:51.75, 2 Trackblazers (Soriyah John, Nah-Shon Pereira, Que'jaah Groves, Milito Kistow) 1:55.89
Mixed Open 4x200m relay: 1 Simplex (Desirae Campbell, Naeem Nelson, Jael Archibald, Khareem Solomon) 1:50.52 , 2 Stallions (Natalia Joseph, Shundell Balkaran, Keva Nelson, Chad Richards) 1:54.15
Girls U-17 800m: 1 Kaieema Burnett (Cougars) 3:11.24, 2 Nikifa Pitt (Cheetahs) 3:12.29
Boys U-17 800m: 1 Lyndon George (Cougars) 2:22.26, 2 Davis Enzi (QRC) 2:22.86, 3 Kerwin Joseph (Tigers) 2:25.15
Boys U-20 800m: 1 Johnathon Francois (ZC Athletics) 2:19.99, 2 Lorenzo Edwards (Tigers) 2:26.81
Open Men 800m: 1 Samuel Brady (Field of Dreams) 2:20.01
Girls U-15 80m: 1 Akilah Chinapoo (Simplex) 10.44, 2 Naomi Phillip (Cougars) 10.49, 3 Keniah Tommy (ZC Athletics) 10.64
Boys U-15 80m: 1 Joshua Solomon (Simplex) 10.04, 2 Derryl Madoo (Siparia AC) 10.40, 3 Zane Rocke (Trackblazers) 10.50
Girls U-17 80m: 1 Precious Holford (Simplex) 10.43, 2 Amelia Jones (Simplex) 10.67, 3 Tasia Debisette (Simplex) 10.73
Boys U-17 80m: 1 Joshua John (Fyzabad AC) 9.53, 2 Kareem Charles (Siparia AC) 9.61, 3 Learie Drayton (Neon Wolves) 9.87
Girls U-20 80m: 1 Jael Archibald (Simplex) 10.75, 2 Jahnel Alexander (Stallions) 11.15, 3 Jernessa Rodriguez (Stallions) 11.16
Boys U-20 80m: 1 Aidyn Benjamin (Neon Wolves) 9.23, 2 Tayshaun Hamlet (Stallions) 9.27, 3 Cadell Cuffy (Simplex) 9.47
Open Women 80m: 1 Akala Melville (I.G Fastlane) 10.67
Open Men 80m: 1 Adrian Bailey (Dookie's) 8.94, 2 Chad Richards (Stallions) 9.03, 3 Joshua Raymond (Stallions) 9.22
Masters Women 80m: 1 Treska Baptiste-Groves (Trackblazers) 11.16, 2 Crystal Joseph (Perseverance Titans) DNS
Masters Men 80m: 1 David Niles (FAD) 9.60, 2 Sheldon Mason (T&T Masters) 10.03, 3 Hilbert Ryce (T&T Masters) 10.05
Girls U-15 200m: 1 Keniah Tommy (ZC Athletics) 27.74, 2 Akilah Chinapoo (Simplex) 27.98, 3 Analeez Mussio (Redline International) 28.70
Boys U-15 200m: 1 Daniel Alfred (Neon Wolves) 26.47, 2 Joshua Solomon (Simplex) 26.53, 3 Nathan La Foucade (Cougars) 27.56
Girls U-17 300m: 1 Precious Holford (Simplex) 47.20, 2 Keja Thomas (Dookie's) 47.31, 3 Que'jaah Groves (Trackblazers) 47.35
Boys U-17 300m: 1 Kareem Charles (Siparia AC) 40.50, 2 Lyndon George (Cougars) 41.03, 3 Milito Kistow (Trackblazers) 42.21
Open Women 300m: 1 Desirae Campbell (Simplex) 47.67, 2 Cherish Nedd (ZC Athletics) 49.02, 3 Janice Gooding (FAD) 49.86
Open Men 300m: 1 Adrian Bailey (Dookie's) 38.64, 2 Nikel Baptiste (Stallions) 39.62, 3 Shakeel Francis (Dookie's) 40.22
