Venson, Thomas star at Isaac-Henry Invitational

CALABAR High’s middle-distance athlete Kevroy Venson and Racers Track Club’s Terry Thomas stole the spotlight with impressive record runs at yesterday’s sixth staging of the S.W. Isaac-Henry Invitational Meet at the National Stadium.

Following his record-breaking performance in the 5000 metres at the recent Digicel Anthrick Corporate Area meet where he destroyed his opponents to win the event, it was another sterling performance from Venson who sent a strong message to his rivals going into next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships.

Competing in the third heat of the 1500 metres, he easily got the better of teammate Kimar Farqhuarson to win the event in a record 3:53.89. He erased the one-year-old record of 4:04.24 set by J’Voughnn Blake of Jamaica College. Farqhuarson ended second in 4:04.66, and third place went to Jevanne Davy (4:06.26) of EXED Community College.

Competing in his first 400m of the season, Thomas, a member of Jamaica’s men’s 4x400m silver winning team at last year’s Doha World Athletics Championships, captured the invitational one-lap event in 46.60 to erase Javon Francis’ 2015 record of 46.63. Devaughn Ellington was second in 47.56 and Yohan Blake, third in 47.59.

There were several other impressive results on the day for Calabar athletes. Jerome Campbell, competing in the Class One 110m hurdles, despite running against a minus 1.4 metres per second wind, clocked 14.04 seconds to go below the 14.05 set by erased Kingston College’s Akeem Cargill last year. Jaheim Stern (14.19) of Jamaica College and Calabar’s Dishan Lamb (14.24) were second and third, respectively.

SPOTLIGHT ON ST JAGO

St Jago High’s girls stole the spotlight among the females. The athletes from Spanish Town showed good form at the meet, especially in the sprint hurdles. Their performances were led by Class Four athlete Camoy Binger, who took the 70m event in a new mark of 10.75 seconds, to erase the 10.87 set by Alpha Academy’s Breann Brown in 2015. Sashel Reid won the Class Two 100m hurdles in 13.80 seconds, while the Class One event was captured by Rosealee Cooper in 13.95.

There were one-two finishes for St Jago in the Class Two 400 metres and Class Four high jump. Safhia Hinds won the Class Two 400m in 56.50, ahead of Chantoya Thomas, 58.52. In the high jump, Tori Ann Anderson cleared an impressive 1.63m to beat teammate Shennell Gordon with 1.55m.

Camperdown High’s girls had two big wins in the throwing events. In the Class Two shot put, twin sisters Brittani and Brittana Johnson were first and second, respectively, with 12.86m and 12.84m. In Class Three discus, Victoria Christie continued her winning form this season, after taking the event with a throw of 37.26m. Carlakay Brown of Clarendon College took second with 34.13m.