EXED top community colleges championships

WESTERN BUREAU:

Excelsior Community College (EXED) are the inaugural champions of the Community Colleges Council of Jamaica (CCCJ) Athletics Championship after mustering a commanding 179 points at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Saturday.

EXED ended the one-day championship 68.5 points in front of a distant second place for the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), 86 points; with Montego Bay Community College third overall with 79 points. Portmore (74), Knox Community College (72), Moneague (34), and Brown's Town (12) round out the top seven.

EXED won nearly all the major races, including Kadian McKoy's triumph in the women's 400m in 1:06.26 seconds. Moneague's Robyn McPherson took silver in 1:08.83 seconds; and her teammate, Rocaina Butter, the bronze in 1:14.47 seconds.

Shane Hudson won gold for Moneague in the men's equivalent in a time of 49.41 seconds. EXED's Andre McFarlane, 50.15 seconds, was second and Christopher Myrie of CASE was third in 51.46.

The marquee 100m race for men was won by Jullane Walker of EXED in 10.83 seconds. Silver went to Knox's Odane Wright (11.02), with the bronze going to Jerome Barton of Portmore.

100m race

Moneague shone in the women's 100m race, with first place going to Tianna Miller in 12.87 seconds. Daniella Medly of MoBay Community College finished in second in 13.32 and Malieka Newman (Knox) was third in 13.51 seconds.

The David Riley-coached EXED did not let up in the sprint relays, winning both the male and female categories easily. They posted 43.59 seconds to win the men's 4x100m with a team comprising Delton Gregory, Walker, Andre McFarlane and Maurice Harrison. Portmore (44.24) were second and CASE (45.27) third.

EXED were also impressive in winning the women's race, stopping the clock at 53.02 seconds, with Knox (53.63) and Moneague 54.00 seconds, taking the minor placings.

Jason Lewis, Shavaun Dawson, Andre McFarlane and Romario Thomas took EXED to an exciting gold in the men's 4x400m relay win in 3:30.84 seconds. CASE finished second in 3:35.76, with third going to Knox in 3:39.83.

EXED's Maurice Harrison accounted for 21 points and was awarded the Champion Boy Trophy, while on the female side, that award went to Kadian McKoy, also of EXED.

"The council is very delighted with the outcome of this our first attempt at a track and field meet," declared Aldane Crew, meet director.

"Next year will see the inclusion of at least three community colleges from overseas, and that in itself will be an interesting development as we build out our plans for the meet in ensuing years," added Crew.