Zichri leads Troumaca Ontario to schools cross country title

Zichri Hepburn further cemented his position as one of the top middle distance runners in St Vincent and the Grenadines, as he led the Troumaca-Ontario Secondary School to victory in the 2023 St Vincent and the Grenadines Secondary Schools Cross Country race on Thursday afternoon on a brand new course.

Leading from the front at the gun, Hepburn established a blistering pace on the three-lap race which saw him cross the finish line in 22 minutes 22.46 seconds, with plenty of daylight between him and the second place runner Henreek-K Francois also of Troumaca-Ontario Secondary School who finished in 23 minutes 28.16 seconds.

Third was the tall lanky figure of Deandre Ollivierre of the Petit Bordel Secondary School in 23 minutes 28.43 seconds. Twelve male runners did not complete the race, out of a starting field of 72 runners.

The Troumaca-Ontario Secondary School having won the 2023 St Vincent and the Grenadines Secondary Schools Road Relay last Thursday October 12, 2023, added the 2023 Cross Country Boys team title time to list of achievements, having clocked a combined time of 1 hour 36 minutes 03.97 seconds.

Second in the team scores were the Central Leeward Secondary School with a combined time of one hour 41 minutes 41.80 seconds, and third was the St Martin’s Secondary School with a combined time of 1 hour 42 minutes 39.38 seconds.

Meanwhile Zekisha Kelly of the Troumaca-Ontario Secondary School won the girls race in a time of 18 minutes 11.27 seconds, on the same course as the boys, but contested over two laps. Kessian John and Ayah Stapleton, both of the Central Leeward Secondary School came in second and third in 18 minutes 37.98 seconds, and 18 minutes 41.55 seconds, respectively. Twelve runners did not finish the race out of the starting field of 72 female runners.

The Central Leeward Secondary School took the female team title in a combined time of 1 hour 18 minutes 15.02 seconds, Troumaca-Ontario Secondary School placed second in a combined time of 1 hour 23 minutes 42.53 seconds, and third was the Girls’ High School in a combined time of 1 hour 29 minutes 34.51 seconds.