Future Stars Shine in BSSF Primary School Preliminaries
IslandStats.com
The next generation of Bermudian track talent took center stage today as the 2026 BSSF Primary School Preliminaries got underway at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium. In a day defined by blistering pace and tactical maturity beyond their years, the island’s youngest athletes fought for their places in the upcoming finals.
The Under 9 Girls 100 Metre Dash provided one of the most dominant performances of the morning. Skye Furbert of West Pembroke Primary laid down a serious marker for the final, clocking an impressive 14.56 seconds to lead the qualifiers. She was followed into the next round by Tyla Foote of Elliot Primary and Saltus Grammar’s Sazise Lobese, who were separated by just two-hundredths of a second.
In the boys' equivalent, Koa Bean of Francis Patton Primary showed superb composure to top the timings in 14.95 seconds. He faces stiff competition from Northlands Primary standout Connor Johnson and West Pembroke’s Kayden Davis, both of whom looked comfortable in securing their spots on the grid.
The middle-distance events saw Warwick Academy assert their dominance in the Over 10 Girls 400 Metre Dash. While Naomi Nusum of Saltus Grammar took the top qualifying spot with a well-paced 1 minute 11.47 seconds, Warwick teammates Rayven Weeks and Kamari Brooks-Gibbons locked out the remaining top three positions to signal a strong medal threat for their school.
The Under 10 Boys 400 Metre Dash proved to be the most competitive individual race of the session. T'Orie Russell of Purvis Primary led the way in 1 minute 11.43 seconds, but he will have little room for error in the final. Nico Simmons of Warwick Academy and Taku Benza of Elliot Primary finished almost in unison, with a mere one-hundredth of a second dividing the pair at the finish line.
As the afternoon shifted to the relay events, the atmosphere in the stadium reached a fever pitch. Port Royal Primary’s Over 10 Boys team delivered a masterclass in baton handling, with Jacob Butterfield, Roman Bather, Ethan Anderson, and Ashlee Clay combining for a time of 58.88 seconds. They were the only team in the division to break the minute mark, finishing ahead of West Pembroke and Warwick Academy.
Warwick Academy found redemption in the Over 10 Girls relay, where the quartet of Rayven Weeks, Hazel Richards, Kamari Brooks-Gibbons, and Layla Holder powered to the fastest qualifying time of 1 minute 00.34 seconds. Bermuda High School and Saltus Grammar also safely navigated their heats to ensure the finals will be a tightly contested affair between the island's leading primary institutions.
