By WALTER ALIBEY Sunday, March 21 2010

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YOUNG female runners take to the grass track yesterday when the annual Southern Games got underway in earnest at Guaracara Park, Marabella....

NJISANE PHILLIP made a surprise entry on the opening day of the Southern Games at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre and created a major stir by winning every cycling event he competed in.

When everyone thought that the 2009 triple gold medallist at the Pan Am Junior Cycling Championships, was at a Switzerland cycling school preparing for the Olympic Games, Phillip appeared for the 500m International Cycle Heat and claimed the top spot to qualify for the final.

In the final Phillip came from behind to outsprint the field for gold medal in impressive style.

Denmark’s Lars Nielsen, tried to stay with him but had to settle for second and the silver medal while US Eric Barlevan was third. Marc Codrington was fourth.

Phillip brought the crowd to its feet when he made a dash from behind to win the 1000m Category One and Two events, before advancing to today’s match sprint semi-finals by outfoxing Jamie Shankland of Canada in the quarter-finals.

In the other quarter-final races of the match sprint, TT’s Sheldon Ramjit was beaten by Nielsen and Elijah Green was surprisingly pipped on the line by Barlevan so both missed out on places in today’s “semis”. Codrington also earned a place in the last four by defeating countryman Varun Maharaj.

Meanwhile Carifta Games bound Nicholas Landeau warmed up for the Easter weekend regional junior track and field championships in the Cayman Islands by dismissing a challenging field in the Boy’s Under-17 1500m event. He won the race in 4:31.89.

Landeau took an early lead and finished by about 100 metres ahead of his Airborne Sonics teammate Jevon Joseph 4:39.32. Kyle Paul of Memphis 4:41.54 was third.

In the Girls’ Under-17 1500m event, Javannah Moreno of Pt Fortin Civic Centre was the winner in 5:34.84 with Makela Baptiste second in 5:35.34 and Taneja Morris of Antigua third in 5.41.24.

Meanwhile American Rob Nowak, produced an impressive run to claim gold in the Open Men 1500m event. Guyana’s Lionel D’Andrade led after the first lap, Nowak made a desperate run from behind to snatch the lead and hold out strong despite a challenge by Guyana’s Cleveland Forde.

Nowak won in 3:51.34 while Forde secured silver in 3:58.05. Kevin Campbell from Memphis was third.

In the Men’s Invitational 100m race that followed, Keston Bledman of Trinidad and Tobago claimed the win in a quick 10.60 while Oral Thompson of Jamaica was second in 10:71and Aaron Armstrong (TT) was third in 10:92.

Simplex also secured the gold in the Open Men’s 100m with Joel Dillon winning in 11:08. He finished ahead of Darren Nelson of UWI in 11:29 with Lyndon Modeste third in 11:31.