Carifta 2024 bronze medallist Xiah Tobias was among numerous athletes who showed their class at the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Juvenile Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on June 1 and 2, as she grabbed a sprint double in the girls' under-15 age group, to go along with sprint medley relay gold.
At this year's Carifta Games in Grenada, the 13-year-old Tobias teamed up with the trio of Makayla Cupid, Jenniah Mc Laren and Tianna Richardson to grab a bronze medal for TT in the girls' under-17 4x100-metre relay. Back in February, the Scarborough Secondary student proved she was a force to reckon with when she completed an impressive quadruple gold medal feat at the Secondary Schools Track and Field national championship.
At the Secondary School meet, Tobias won individual gold medals in the 100m, 200m and long jump events to dominate the under-15 age group. At the juvenile champs, Tobias again flirted with notching gold medals in those three events as she copped the 100-metre and 200-metre titles. In the girls' under-15 100-metre final, Tobias led a podium sweep for the Zenith Athletic Club when she sped to the line in 12.40 seconds, with Cupid (12.64 seconds) and Daija Reid (12.67 seconds) finishing second and third respectively.
It took a valiant effort from RSS Phoenix's Adrianna Fowler to put an end to Tobias' streak as she was pushed to second spot in the girls' under-15 long jump event.
Competing in flight two of the girls' under-15 long jump, Fowler took the field by storm when she jumped an impressive 5.02m in her first attempt to top the field. No other jumper got within touching distance of Fowler's mark, and Tobias seized silver in her third and final jump with a 4.82m leap. QRC Athletic Club's Reyann Graham (4.77m) topped flight one and grabbed the bronze medal.
Fowler was just one of many RSS athletes who shone brightly at the two-day meet, as the Roxborough-based club amassed 663.50 points to top all clubs at the games, and also racked up over ten gold medals. Cougars Track and Field finished second overall with 438 points, while Zenith grabbed third spot with 396 points.
In the girls' under-13 category, Gloria Henry was one of the athletes who flew the RSS flag high, and she showed her durability by capturing a double in the 400m and 300m hurdle events.
In the girls' under-13 400m final on Saturday, Henry, the NAAA's most outstanding girls' under-11 athlete in 2022 and 2023, led a one-two finish for RSS when she clocked 1:02.81. Nashequa Samuel (1:04.83) took second spot and Abilene Wildcats' Analeez Mussio (1:05.49) took third.
In the 300m hurdle final on Sunday, Henry and her teammates took it to a next level when RSS registered a clean sweep of the medals. Henry separated herself from the pack to grab gold in 49.65 seconds, with Etana Stewart (53.96 seconds) and Jonelle Walcott (55.73 seconds) finishing second and third respectively.
There was no shortage of quality on display in the sprints, and two other youngsters matched Tobi
