Team Hope Crowned Champions

Team Hope Crowned Champions

Love failed to conquer and retain sports title


St. Andrew, Jamaica, May 8, 2004


By Michael Schurton

The 4th Annual Sports Championships for Children’s Homes and special institutions was declared memorable and exciting by the organizers of the event Word Time Ministries of Jamaica. The Championships, which was held over two weekends both at Ardenne High School and the St. Andrew High School for Girls in St. Andrew, witnessed a number of outstanding performances from the teams from various homes in the corporate area.

Team ‘Hope’ abided in both track and field events and was crowned champions for the first time in the four-year history of the games. Fortified by a team of happy, beaming and confident young people, Team Hope secured the prestigious VMBS Championship Trophy. Hope, with their talented team of motivated athletes gave a supreme all-round performance, winning the championships with an unprecedented 2445 points. Hope mined a record-breaking medal haul of 47 medals - 17 gold, 17 silver and 13 bronze. The old record for medals was 35 set by Team Love in 2003. Team Hope missed another gold in the 4x100 meters boys as the team was disqualified.

Team Hope shrugged off early blows from defending Championship Team Love and rebounded and secured a convincing victory, which was unexpected by many. However, Team Hope pressed ahead of the speculations and trackside talk, put their game plans into action, and rose to victory. Team Hope was able to contain a strong challenge from the blue team to ensure that the purple power stood triumphantly on the winning podium. Team Love stunned by the organizational skills and athletic power of Team Hope, managed to place second with 2375. Love earned 17 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze medals. Both Teams pulled away from ‘Team Faith’ who had signaled their intent to capture the title, and managed to place a respectable third with improved points of 1910 points. Faith’s medal tally was 9 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals.

The day started with a colourful opening ceremony and a powerful praise and worship session. Highlight of the opening ceremony was the live performance of the new theme song “Victory in Purpose” which set the atmosphere for the day. As the drums rolled, trumpets sounded, athletes waved their team flags and the shouts rang clear across the field of the St. Andrew High School, it was clear that a new day was about to dawn. Bright Hope for today was in the house in their full regal battle wear of purple. For many the results were simply both unbelievable and unbearable, while others who came in numbers to conquer, failed in that bid.

The purple power descended on the dirt tracks with a team of young athletes who clearly showed that their confidence abided in a much higher source than themselves. “Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord” was the theme on the banner and flags of Team Hope, and they lived up to their theme.

On the day of the preliminaries, which featured field events, all three Teams ended with an historic three-way lock with 250 points each. Team Love took home the volleyball and basketball. In the basketball finals, Love was ‘saved by the bell’ as they won by two points on the dot of full time. Team Faith dominated both the female and male football titles upstaging defending football champion Team Hope. Hope came back and struck gold in the Netball finals, the lone field event title for the team.

A three way tie, Love with the psychological advantage with two field events titles and field event champions Team Hope failing to secure their titles, proved to be the top stories from the preliminary at Ardenne. But a new day came; a new resolve and a new venue signaled a glimmer of hope. The sports champs story changed and changed dramatically on the day of the finals as Team Hope powered away in a number of the events. However, the victory was even sweeter and much more memorable for Team Hope as they took home all the character and quality awards, except one, best participation. Hope excelled in the inaugural cheer leading competition and earned a solid gold. The movements, formation and energy secured the top place in the competition. They also went on a mining expedition and mined seven gold medals for Best Cheers, Most Disciplined Team, Most Co-operative, Best Team Spirit, Best Team Parade, Best Uniformed Team, Fair Play Award and Most Outstanding Team Performance. Team Hope did not compete in the events as their rival Team Love. Love played the numbers game to make sure that their athletes were represented in all events. However, Hope proved that numbers does not always matter and rose to victory.

Team Love took the early lead with victories in the sack race for both male and female and again the double in the 50m girls and boys. The Love camp was celebrating early with four straight victories. The main staple of the Team Love, former champion boy and champion athlete Sean Brown took the sack race, male in fine style clocking 12.91.

Ricardo Morrison of Love sent the love team shouting with a victory over Jermaine Worghs of Hope and Lamario Artwell of Faith. Kareem Douglas of Love set the tracks on fire with a record of 8.38, ahead of Keelin Stewart of Faith, 8.40 and Sashana Westcarr of Hope 8.42. Team Hope failed to win a single event until Lorenzo Thomas, clocking 12.39 struck gold in the 100 meters boys, class 3, beating favourite Junior Taylor of Love 13.09 and Jason Wright, 13.80.

The 100 meters sprint was an epic battle. Love took three of the events in the boy’s section. Top Love athlete Anthony Cole of Jamaica College set a meet record of 10.84 to beat team mate Oneil Knight 12.01, and Lorenzo Thomas of Hope who was left way back with 13.04. However, the star in that section came from Team Faith with Elvis Bamberry. Bamberry, the eagle in the Faith camp bolted away from his competitors and clocked 11.45. Team Love camp was now convinced that they were unconquerable and would certainly not fail in their bid to take the title for four consecutive years.

The Class 2 girl’s 100m was a thrilling showcase of courage and determination. Roxanne Schurton (13.98) of Team Faith missed the podium when she was outpaced by champion girl Racquel Thompson (13.90) of Team Hope who won the bronze. The gold medal went to Shanika Dixon of Love, clocking 11.94 seconds, and silver to former champion girl Trudi-ann Christie 13.90 seconds. However, Schurton. graced the podium with a shared bronze in the girls Class 2 50m crossing the line at the same time with Sashana Westcarr of Team Hope in 8:42 seconds. The gold was won by Kareem Douglas of Team love in 8:38 seconds. Keelin Stewart of Faith won silver in 8:40 seconds

In the girls 100 meters three outstanding athletes emerged. Shanika Dixon of Love, clocked 12.44 to win ahead of Alain Geddes of Hope, 14.09 and Theresa Young of Love 15.07. Keelin Stewart of Faith gave an unbelievable performance and set a meet record with 11.19 beating Kareem Douglas of Love 11.20 and Crystal Lewis of Hope 11.30. Alain Geddes came back with brighter hope and won in a time of 11.89, defeating champion girl and athlete Joy Carter, 14.30 and her team mate Krystle Henry 15.00.

The truth of the champs came in the 200 and 400 meters. Hope moved ahead with two consecutive victories in the female 100 meters class 1 and open. Terace DaSilva clocked 13.89 ahead of her teammate Patricia Oughton 14.80 and Samantha Peart of Faith 15.02. Audie Grant of Hope blazed the tracks with 12.82 beating teammate Nsambi Service 14.80.

The 200 meters and 400 meters boys home was dominated by Elvis Bamberry of Faith. In the 200 meters he set the track on fire with a meet record of 23.78. Richard Christian of Love took second 25.10 and Kemar Wright of Faith 26.10. Bamberry made the double for Faith in the 400 meters boys in a time of 1.00.04, while Anthony Cole of Love placed second 1.01.00 and Andrew Hickenson of Faith 1.02.00.

In the girl’s section of the 200 meters, Joy Carter despite being ill managed to clock 27.70 defeating Crystal Wallace of Hope, 28.80, while Scion Bascoe was left trailing with 32.50 for bronze. Joy Carter showed bravery in competing in the meet but was later withdrawn from the competition based on the advice of meet officials.

Maurine Breakenridge broke away from the pack and set a meet record in the 400 meters male in a time of 58.07, while Edney Samuels of Faith took silver 1.00.20 and Orrette Cobourne of Hope bronze 1.01.75. Team Hope took the winning podium again in 400 meters female by way of former champion girl, Tudi Ann Christie clocking 1.21.60 ahead of silver medallist Shelly Ann Yates 1.27.00. Christie’s team mate Neisha Breakenridge took bronze with 1.30.00.

The 4x100 provided the excitement and dramatic colour to the event. Hope clocked a record breaking 53.80.00 which sent them celebrating but their celebration was halted as the team was disqualified for lane infringement by the athlete’s penultimate baton change. Team Love was promoted to the gold clocking 54.50.00 and Faith silver medal 56.50.00.

Team Hope still maintained their composure even though they failed to earn a single point after a dramatic, blistering and victorious race, expertly executed, excepting for the athlete cutting the lane.

Excitement peaked for many spectators and sports fans during the Leaders 4x100 relay and the 100m Ministry Executive race. Team Love won ahead of Hope and Faith. In the Ministry Executive surprise race Michael Schurton took gold, ahead of Bishop Paul Gallimore, silver and Conrad Martin bronze. The race delighted the fans, especially the children who got a good laugh seeing the masters’ race for the first time.

The 4th Annual Championships witnessed a large attendance of persons from various schools, churches and communities. The Championships was truly another huge success and was a great experience for the children of the various homes.