Jubilant Gambia Senior Secondary School athletes returning from Farafenni yesterday told The Standard they won because they were well prepared and were not bothered with problems of running on bare ground or the scorching heat from the sun in rural Gambia.
“We have always wanted to dethrone them since, but last year there was not Competition so we continue to prepare and waiting,” one of the athletes said.
At the close of the championship late Sunday evening, officials declared Gambia Senior the first ever winner of the regionally staged event with 293 points, 60 more than former champions Saints who took third behind second place Bottrop who had 283.
A top class national athlete from Saints told The Standard that they lost their crown due to their poor showing in the girls’ event. “Our girls’ results have been rather poor and the loss of those early events swung the tide in favour of Gambia Senior Secondary, but they are still behind us when it comes to male events,” he bragged.
In another development, officials yesterday praised the impressive performance of Bottrop, describing it as the emergence of a third powerful force in schools sports. The Brikama-based school grabbed second place with terrific displays in sprints events. “Soon the dominance of the two big names will be over,” a top GAA official noted
Below are the full results:
Senior Secondary Schools
1. Gambia High School 293 points
2. Bottrop School 283
3. Saint Augustines 233 points
4. Bansang 211 points.
5. Mahaad Senior Secondary 189 points
6. Muslim Senior 146 points
7. Tahir Senior 100 points
8 Berending 59 points
9. Sifoe and Aji Fatou Bojang, both with 53
11. Nusrat 39 points
12. Daddy Jobe 27 points
13. Saint Francis on 24 points
14. Kuntaya and Charles Fowlis ,both 23 points
16. Kalagi and Nyoro Jattaba, both, 22 points
18. Essau 16 points
19. Farafenni 12 points
20. Kotu senior school on 11 points
Bureng, Saint George’s and Niamina on 10 points
Ngen Sanjal Senior and Fatima Senior on 9 points. Mindaw 8 points, Amaad 6 points. Davinci senior and Ndows both on 5 points, Diabugu Senior, Sibanor Senior and Nyakoi Senior Secondary School all on 4 points. Armitage and Kerewan Senior Secondary School both on 3 points
Junior Secondary Schools Results
Latrikunda Sabiji 270 points
Barra Esau 152 points
Brikama Upper 125 points
Talinding Upper 110 points
Greater Banjul Upper 81 points
Gunjur Upper 77 points
,Bakoteh Upper 74
Sitanunku Upper 54 points
Saint Francis and Bansang both on 42 points, Kiti Junior secondary 42 points
Jamisa and Latrikunda (LK) both, 41 points, Presentation 37 points, Abuko Upper 31 points, Kombo Kerewan and Kuntaurm both 30 points. Kudang Upper 28 points. Saint Michaels and Saint Therese’s Upper both on 27 points, Kabafita New Govinance 24 points, Saint Edward Upper 20 points. Saint Mulumbas and Pakalinding, both 18 points.
Sololo Upper 17 points, Soma and Bakalar Upper 16 points. Penyem Upper 14 points,
Berending and Saint Augustine Upper Basic School 12 points and Kanifing East 11 points, Janjanbureh and Sinchu Njago Upper both on 6 points, Njoren Upper Basic School 4 points, Karantaba and Mbulum Upper Basic School 3, Pakaliba, Ndungu Kebbeh and Medina Serign Mass Upper, all on 2 points. Chargel Upper 1 point.
Author: Lamin Cham
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