Promise delivered
Nkrumie predicted sub-10 performance ahead of Champs
Published:Thursday | March 30, 2023 | 1:24 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
AS THE curtains closed on day two of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, the exploits of Kingston College (KC) captain Bouwahjgie Nkrumie made patrons want to remain, not letting go of the moment they had just witnessed inside the National Stadium yesterday.
Following his record-breaking performance in the semi-final of the boys Class I 100 metres, Nkrumie returned hours later to not just claim nine valuable points and a gold medal for KC, but a most enviable record.
Nkrumie became the first high school athlete to dip 10 seconds when he stopped the clock in 9.99 seconds, blowing away the challenge of Herbert Morrison’s DeAndre Daley (10.14) and St Jago’s Jaiden Reid (10.26).
The KC captain had predicted something special at Champs in a post-event interview after clocking 10.02 at the Carifta Trials. Today, his response was just as ominous for his rivals.
“I can promise you it will only get better from here,” he said.
Earlier, in the Boys’ Class II final, a heated contest eventually went to Calabar’s Shaqaune Gordon, who took gold in 10.40. Gordon was followed closely by St Elizabeth Technical’s Tremaine Todd, 10.42, while Jamaica College’s (JC) Dontae Watson took the bronze medal in 10.72.
MAXIMUM POINTS
In the Boys’ Class III 100, KC also earned maximum points as Joshua Spence took top spot with a 10.92 clocking. JC’s Malique Spence finished second in a time of 11.01, while St Elizabeth Technical’s Shaun Lewis was third in 11:08.
Michael-Andre Edwards and Euan Young gifted the title-chasing JC their first medals of Champs with dominant performances in the Class II Boys’ long jump.
Edwards, who had a best jump of 7.29 metres, secured the top spot, well clear of Young, who had to settle for the silver medal with a best jump of 7.03 metres. BB Coke’s Anthony Hall rounded off the medal placings with a best effort of 6.87.
KC would respond to JC’s gold and silver performance in the Class II 1500 metres through the Kenyan pair of Nahashon Ruto and Brian Kiprop, stopping what would have been a repeat from Maggoty’s Yoshane Brown.
Ruto came into the finals with the fastest time but failed to stave off the challenge of Kiprop, crossing the line in 4:07.64 seconds. Kiprop’s winning time was 4:07.46. Brown was further back, crossing the tape in 4:11.52.
In the Boys’ Class III 1500, the exploits of Carlos Brison-Caines secured maximum points for Calabar, his 4:18:18 good enough to get the better of Maggoty’s Jayden Brown, 4:18:26. JC’s Yohance Carty was third in 4:33:88.
Among the Class Ones, KC’s Ainsley Campbell relied on a superb last 400 metres to secure the gold medal. Campbell crossed the line in 4:02:63, followed by St Jago’s Corlando Chambers, 4:04:19, and Jamaica College’s Kemarrio Bygrave, 4:05:26.
In the Boys’ Class II 400 metres, KC’s Tahj-Marques White safely booked his spot for today’s final following his composed victory in semi-final three, where he clocked a calculated 48.49. JC’s Omary Robinson, who competed in the second semi-final, clocked a speedy 48.50 and is expected to challenge for top honours.
In Class I 400 action, JC’s Malique Smith-Band heads into the final with the fastest time following his 46.66 clocking, which was good enough to win semi-final one. He’s expected to have tough competition from the event favourite, Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy, and KC’s Amal Glasgow.