Hydel’s McAnnuff in state of shock after 400m hurdles win

Hydel High’s Oneika McAnnuff was in a state of shock after winning the gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles open for girls at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) at the National Stadium last night.

McAnnuff produced a superb run to overall the field in the final 30 metres, before pulling away from her rivals to win the event in 57.68 seconds.

St Jago High’s Safhia Hinds, who led for most of the race, finished second in 59.33 while third went to Edwin Allen High’s Tonyan Beckford in one minute 00.07.

McAnnuff said that she has been through a lot this season in her preparations for the championships and thanked the Hydel coaching staff for believing in her.

“I am really lost for words because only my teammates and coaches really know how my preparations went for this race,” said McAnnuff.

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this kind of performance from myself,” she said. “I am really shocked because this is my first time running the 400m hurdles at Champs,” she said.

Excelsior High’s Najhada Seymoure produced an impressive display to secure the gold medal in the Class Two girls’ discus competition.

Seymoure heaved the discus to 45.14 metres to win the event ahead of Edwin Allen’s Shamoyea Morris 43.49m.

Camperdown High’s Victoria Christie, who won the gold medal in the shot put on Wednesday, finished third with a mark of 43.09m.

Hydel secured a one-two finish in the Class Four girls’ high jump event with Zavien Bernard taking home the gold medal with a mark of 1.64m ahead of her teammate Kaira Wright, 1.55. Alexia Williams of St Jago High won the bronze medal with a mark of 1.50m.

Hydel’s Brianna Lyston will be seeking her first gold medal of the 2022 championships when she competes in the Class One 200m final today.

Lyston, who was clipped by Edwin Allen’s Tina Clayton in the Class One 100m on Wednesday, won her semi-final comfortably in 23.04. Tina Clayton did not contest the 200 metres.

Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly (23.98) and Shenese Walker of St Jago (24.26) are the other main challengers for the gold medal.

Hydel’s Alana Reid leads all qualifiers going into the Class Two final with a time of 23.85. She is expected to receive strong competition from the likes of Mickaila Haisley of Immaculate Conception High (23.94), Mickayla Gardener of Wolmer’s Girls (24.12) and Alliah Baker of Hydel (24.26).

Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, the Class Three 100m champion, will be seeking her second gold medal of the championships when she competes in the 200m final. Terrelonge clocked 24.49 to win semi-final three.

Holmwood’s Abrina Wright, the fastest qualifier with 24.33, Sabrina Dockery of Lacovia (24.67) and St Catherine’s Aaliyaha Morgan (24.97) are the other top contenders in the event.

Edwin Allen’s pair of Rushana Dwyer and Jessica McLean are the favourites going into today’s final of the Class One girls’ 800m.

Dwyer won her semi-final yesterday in an impressive time of 2:13.14 which is the fastest going into the final. McLean has the second-fastest time heading into the final with 2:13.49. Kishay Rowe of Alphansus Davis High (2:13.57), St Jago’s Alesia Douglas (2:13.77) and Jodyann Mitchell of Holmwood Technical (2:13.92) are the other leading qualifiers for the final.