Top schools shine at ‘Isaac’ Henry Invitational

The build-up to next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships continued last Saturday with top ­contenders for the title, especially on the boys’ side, showing terrific form at the S.W. ‘Isaac’ Henry Invitational meet at the National Stadium. Athletes from heavyweights Calabar High and Kingston College (KC) were among those in top form, while Edwin Allen High’s Class Two star, Kevona Davis, started her individual campaign with a solid 24.06 seconds over 200 metres. St Jago High’s Vashaun Vascianna continued to show that he is a cut above his peers in the Class Two boys’ 110 metres hurdles with another ­impeccable performance. Despite running against a negative wind of 2.9 metres per second, the Boys’ Champs record holder raced to an impressive 13.58 seconds. His teammate, Jahvel Granville, won his heat in 13.89, while Calabar’s Jerome Campbell was third overall in 14.12. KC dominated the Class One and Class Three sprint hurdles. After missing a year of competition due to knee surgery, Akeem Cargill won the 110m hurdles in 13.80 seconds. Teammates Wayne Pinnock, 14.07, and Clinton Simmonds (14.56) ensured a KC sweep of the top three places.

In Class Three 100 metres ­hurdles, Amontae Wray clocked a swift 13.77 seconds despite running against a negative wind of 3.6 metres per ­second. His KC teammate, Rajohn Gray, was second in 14.02 while St Jago’s Damario Prince was third overall in 14.52

First-year Class One athlete Evaldo Whitehorne highlighted Calabar’s depth in the 400 metres after topping the field in 48.18 seconds, ahead of Excelsior High’s Demar Francis (48.65) and Kingston College’s Karim Murray, 48.77.

Jamaica College did well in the Class Two and Three 400m. Tariq Dacres clocked 49.38 seconds to take the Class Two one-lap event ahead of KC’s Jayden Brown (49.86) and Jeremy Bembridge of Tarrant High, 49.94. Matthew Malcolm (52.29) came out on top in Class Three for the Old Hope Road-based school ahead of St Jago’s Alex Taylor (52.50) and Calabar’s Shadane Smith, 52.75. IAAF World Under-20 discus gold medallist Kai Chang of Calabar remained unbeaten among his peers in the event after topping the Class One field with a throw of 56.36. Travis Robinson of JC was second with 51.56m.

Among the girls, Kishawna Wallace of Holmwood Technical topped the Class One 200m in 24.46 ahead of The Queen’s School’s Daszay Freeman (24.55) and St Andrew High’s Janielle Josephs, 24.99. The Mico University College’s Tiffany James produced the fastest 200-metres time on the day, clocking 23.99 running into a negative wind of 2.3 metres per second. The MVP duo of Srabani Nanda (24.26) and Kedisha Dallas, 24.48, were second and third, respectively. Edwin Allen dominated the long jump events. Lotavia Brown, aided by a positive wind of 4.3 metres per second, won Class One with 6.00 metres; Serena Cole took Class Two with 6.17m; and Excelsior High’s Shantae Foreman won Class Two with 5.83m. Immaculate High’s Class Four athlete, Jounaee Armstrong, did an impressive 5.77m, the best effort by an athlete in this class this season.