The sponsorship is in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).

Setting the scene for what turned out to be a marvellous day under radiant sunshine was the opening race of the day the Boys’ Under-17 3 000 metres.

Over ten starters faced the line with the eventual victor being Teon Roberts attired in red from District Five-West Coast Berbice, followed by Robert Wilson of District Nine-Rupununi, and Dwayson Watson third from Region Six-Corentyne.

When the gun sounded Roberts paced himself for the first lap before sticking with Wilson who carried the pace of the race from the third lap. The two led steadily, opening a gap on the rest of the field and in the process lapping the other athletes.

Then came the bell to signal the final 300m left in the race, Roberts holding a slim lead on Wilson, accelerated. So too did Wilson, but coming down the final 200m, Roberts shifted into high gear, took the final turn and blazed down the track, leaving Wilson some 50m behind.

His high knee lifts and diehard attitude won the cheers of the spectators, athletes and officials.

Following closely on the opening race was the female event, which also had its flare.

Rupununi athlete Marvaline Antone, following up her victory in the Open Girls’ 5 km road race on Tuesday, sprinted home by a clear 260 metres to win the Girls’ Under-17 3 000m.

Antone, who set the pace from the start, had only one challenger for the first one and a half laps.

After that, she lapped virtually every athlete as she continued her fine run around the 300m field.

With the sound of the bell, Antone increased her pace again lapping some five other athletes before sprinting home for the finish.

When she had completed her formalities and was leaving the field, then the second place finisher Jenita Allicock of District Three-West Demerara, was coming around the final turn.

Marcia Dodson of District 13-South Georgetown, trailed in third and Kenisha Lashley of District Four-East Coast Demerara, came in fourth.

The Boys’ 5 000m Open cycling event proved a worthwhile race with Alonzo Greaves of District 12-East Georgetown, nipping Travis Mendonca on the finish line.

Mendonca did well in holding Greaves off for the final lap, but the latter had the extra burst of energy as he nipped the crown by half a cycle wheel. Ademola Flatts of District Four-East Coast Demerara was third.

In another Boys’ cycle race, Jorge Emerson of District Ten-Upper Demerara/Kwakwani won the Open 800m followed by Greaves and Albert Philander of District Four in third.

In the Girls’ cycle races, Abica Small of District Six-Corentyne won the Open 800m race ahead of Erica Wilson and Jelica Russel, while Kenisha Bizzeth of District Ten beat Resha Khan of District Four and Keisha Duncan of District Eleven-North Georgetown, in that order.

The Under-20 100m heats proved slightly exciting, with an explosive final day expected tomorrow.

The showdown in the Girls’ Under-20 race will feature national athletes Dianne Munroe of District Four and Rondel Alleyne who both won their respective heats, while the Boys’ Under-20 event will be another scorcher.

Charles Binning of District 10 won the first heat while Quacy Trotman won the other.

In the field events, Royston Ross of District Four won the Boys’ Under-20 Shot Put event; Michael Bowman of District Three won the Boys’ Under-13 Javelin event while Lisa Bowman placed first in the Girls’ event.

The Boys’ Under-15 discus event was won by Trillod Allen of District Two- Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon, while Sheenika Bentick District 13-East Bank of Demerara won the Girls’ event.

There was added excitement from the youngsters in the Under-11 80m sprint races, the Under-13 1000 and 800m.

Some 106 events were contested yesterday while today will continue with the 100m, 200m and 400m heats and the sprint and distance relays.

The championships culminate tomorrow with the finals in the sprints and relay events.