Taylor, Watson shine at Tyser-Mills Classics

Calabar High School's Christopher Taylor and Petersfield High School's Antonio Watson, who won the 200m and 400m titles at the Junior Pan Am Championships, as well as the IAAF World Youth Championships last summer, were off to winning starts in their events at Saturday's Chantique-Tyser-Mills Classics at the G.C. Foster College.

Taylor picked up where he left off last season, as he sent early signals to his rivals that he will be unstoppable once again this season. Taylor stopped the clock at 21.50 seconds as he easily won his heat and produced the fastest overall time among class 1 athletes over 200 metres. Colby Jennings of Jamaica College finished second overall in 21.56 seconds with his teammate Michael Everett clocking 21.89 seconds for third.

Watson, who was a surprise winner of the one-lap event in Nairobi, was best in Class 2 in the 400m, where he was very easy clocking 51.32 seconds as Calabar's Dean Clarke and Munro College's Devine Heywood did 51.36 and 51.90 seconds for second and third overall, respectively.

The meet, the first on synthetic track for the upcoming track season, saw good results from athletes representing Calabar, St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Hydel High School.

TERRIFIC FORM

The reigning ISSA GraceKennedy Boys champions were in terrific form in all areas. They had a clean sweep of the Class 1 400m, led by Anthony Carpenter, the 2017 Boys' Championships silver medallist. He won in 48.34 seconds, ahead of teammates Malik James King, who finished in 48.80, and Shemar Chambers, who clocked 49.21 seconds.

Kimar Farquharson and Kevroy Venson also ruled supreme in middle-distance events. Farquharson captured the Boys' Class 1 800m in 1:56.52, ahead of Devare Robinson of STETHS in 1:57.19. Venson was victorious in the Class 2 1500m in 4:17.33, ahead of Jamaica College's J'Voghaun Blake, whose time was 4:30.85.

STETHS females dominated the 200m, winning in all three classes. Class 1 athlete Stacy-Ann Williams led the way after clocking 24.40 seconds, as Winsome Harris won in Class 2 in 25.07, with Shackelia Green being the best in Class 3 in 25.93 seconds. Harris returned later to take top honours in the Class 2 400m in 58.37 seconds.

It was also a good day for the Corey Bennett-coached Hydel girls from Ferry. Monifa Green continued from where she left off on the road with an easy win in the Girls' Open 3000m, clocking 11:11.28 ahead of Lewisville High School's Aneisha Meredith, who was second in 11:32.60 .

Gabrielle Matthews was impressive for Hydel in the Girls' Class 3 400m, winning in 59.25 seconds, ahead of teammates Oneik McAnuff, who was second in 1:00.91, and Aaliyah Hylton third in 1:01.50.