KC send early message at Kirkvine

AFTER an overwhelming performance to kick off their season a week earlier at the Purewater/Jamaica College (JC)/R Danny Williams Development Meet, reigning ISSA/GraceKennedy Boy’s champions Kingston College (KC) were at it again at the JAAA/Puma/Fuller/Anderson Development Meet on Saturday. Led by their middle-distance athletes at the Kirkvine Sports Club in Mandeville, Manchester, KC sent out another warning shot to their rivals that come March 24-28, they are ready to defend their title.

Giovouni Henry, who scored an upset win over JC’s J’Voughnn Blake to win the Class Two 800m at Champs last year, started his season with a bang, despite stepping up to Class One, after topping the field in the two-lap event. He clocked 2:04.46 minutes to win overall as his teammate Amos Beadle, who trailed him for the runner-up spot, finished second overall in 2:05.93 minutes. Muschett High’s Laphaye Collins was third in 2:08.40.

KC, through Daniel Gayle, won in Class Three in 2:15.10 minutes, ahead of Knox College’s Ricardo Roberts, 2:19.39, with third overall going to Deandre Coke of Lewisville High in 2:20.24.

Ugandan sprinter Emmanuel Rwotamiya, who has been dominating his rivals in training, made his debut for KC in the Class Two 800m, but had to settle for second in 2:09.11 minutes, as Tavaughn Martin of Bellefield High finished ahead of him in 2:07.26 to take top spot overall, while KC’s Raheem Richards took third in 2:11.67.

Marvin Patterson also gave the North Street-based team a top-place finish on the day, after taking the Class Two 200m in 24.26 seconds, with Herbert Morrison Technical’s Trevoy Smith in second in 24.56s, and Freshawny Reid of Petersfield High taking third in 24.73s.

It was a quinella for Petersfield in the Class One half-lap event as Shamar Pearce, 22.15 seconds, tipped the field ahead of Romario Taylor, 22.26, with Garvey Maceo’s Kishane Thompson placing third in 22.68 seconds.

GOOD RESULTS FOR EDWIN ALLEN, ST JAGO AND HOLMWOOD

On the girls side, ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls’ champions Edwin Allen High, former champions St Jago High, and Holmwood Technical all had good performances at the meet, with Edwin Allen having big results in the 800m. They swept the top three spots in the Class One event as Lashanna Graham topped the field after winning her heat in 2:24.94 minutes with teammates Janiel Jones, 2:29.06, and Monique Brown, 2:31.31, finishing second and third. They had a quinella in Class Three through Jhenelle Dryden, first in 2:29.93, and Rickresha Simms, second in 2:30.87, with third going to Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose in 2:30.99.

St Jago also swept the podium in the Class Three 200m as Quaycian Davis was best in 25.12 seconds, ahead of Cheyanne Barnette, 25.48, and Briana Campbell, 25.64. Rosealee Cooper gave the Monk Street-based team top spot in Class One after winning in 25.45 seconds, ahead of the Holmwood duo of Dyndra Gray, 25.38, and Kishwana Wallace, 25.67.

After an average start to the season the previous week, Holmwood bounced back to form with wins in three events. Samantha Pryce took the first on the day after stopping the clock at 11:06.12 minutes in taking the Girls Open 3000m ahead of Edwin Allen High’s Kayon Green, second in 11:11.19. Bellefield High’s Aneisha Lawrence took third in 11:17.08.

Kavia Francis, 57.29 seconds, and Daniella Deer, 58.38 seconds, gave Holmwood a one-two finish in the Class One 400m, while Rickianna Russell clocked 25.35 seconds in the Class Two 200m for another Holmwood win. Asheika Smith of Manchester High took second in 25.51 seconds, and Shenequa Vassell of Edwin Allen was third in 25.54 seconds.

–R.G.