Pinnock off to strong start - Coach targets 8-metre mark this season

KINGSTON College's(KC) Wayne Pinnock continued from where he left off last season with a brilliant show last Saturday at the Charlie Fuller Field Event Meet at Manchester High School. Pinnock produced two big winning marks in the Boys' Class One long and triple jump events on a day when the North Street team showed their strength in the field events.

Pinnock, the 2018 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships Class One, Carifta Games Under-20 and Penn Relays long jump champion, went on to mine bronze at the World Under-20 Championships in Finland to cap an impressive season.

Competing for the first time this season, Pinnock was in a no-nonsense mood as he opened up in the horizontal jump with a massive 7.74 metres, getting the better of his teammate, Shaquille Lowe, who was second with 6.96 metres, and St Elizabeth Technical's (STETHS) Michael Buchanan, with 6.95 metres.

Jeremy Delisser, the man who conditions Pinnock in the jumps, was left extremely satisfied with his opening marks.

"Wayne is very talented, and it was a good showing in his first competition, and the aim for him is to go over eight metres in the long jump this season, and I am very confident he can do so," said Delisser.

Pinnock showed his versatility by blowing away his opponents in the triple jump, with a winning mark of 15.06 metres, as Jhavour Bennett of STETHS took second with 14.71 metres. Lowe took third with 14.71 metres.

KC actually swept the long jump events as Bouwajgie Nkrumie and Anthony Willis won in their respective classes. Nkrumie, the man who sped to victory in the Class Three 100 metres at Champs last year, competing in Class Two for the first time, took the event after producing a mark of 6.37 metres to get the better of his team-mate Jaheim Cox, second, 6.33 metres, and Petersfield's Royan Walters, 6.29 metres.

In Class Three, KC took the top three spots as Willis cut the sand at an impressive 6.41 metres, with teammates Selassi Richard, 5.68m, and Jayden Campbell, 5.61m, taking the other two spots. Willis was also victorious in the high jump, after clearing the bar at 1.75 metres to get the better of teammates Aaron Thomas and Aaron McKenzie, who finished second and third with 1.70 and 1.65 metres, respectively.

The North Street-based school also had a strong presence in throwing events, with Class Two athlete Ralford Mullings leading the way after a winning throw of 55.50 metres. Calabar's Denz Simmonds was second with 51.10 metres as Altwayne Bedward of Munro College took third with 46.65 metres. Alex Wilson took second for Kingston College in the javelin with 51.78 metres to finish ahead of Santino Anglin of Petersfield, 53.27 metres.

It was also a good meet for the Petersfield team, as they continue to show their big improvements in field events.

Courtney Lawrence showed his strength in the Class One shot put, after a winning effort of 18.66 metres with IAAF World Under 20 discus champion, Kai Chang of Calabar taking second with 17.29 metres. Lawrence's team-mate Daniel Cope ended third with 15.31 metres.

On the female side, St. Jago High had some good results.

Shania Scott took the Girls Class One shot Put with a winning mark of 12.07 metres, as the Petersfield pair of Judeen Aird and Deon Burley had to settle for second and third with 11.34 metres. Terrica Francis took the Class Four long jump with 4.9 metres for St. Jago, while it was 1-2 finish for them in the triple jump courtesy of Tanneke Strachan, 11.72 metres and Dayshanae Hall, 11.6 metres.