Pinnock lights up closing stages of OnDiRun

EVEN THOUGH it was first staged in 2022, the ONDIRUN 100-metre Sprint Fest is already developing a tradition of saving the best for last.

At the 2024 staging, hosted at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport on Friday, Raheem Pinnock maintained the ‘tradition’ with a polished run in the Class 1 100 metres.

Like former St Jago High School teammate Greg Prince in 2022 and graduated Kingston College prospect Adrian Kerr in 2023, Pinnock delighted fans with a pluperfect 100 near the end of the proceedings. The 200-metre Class 1 Central champion zoomed to a personal best of 10.47 seconds and then privately asked if he had come close to Kerr’s meet record, set last year at 10.43.

Runner-up Jaquan Palmer of St George’s College was well back, at 11.12 seconds.

Injured in the 200-metre final at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), he was in a determined mood.

“This is 2024, it’s a new me. Fixed my hamstrings and I’m improving on my starts, so I can do better at the 100.”

The wind for Pinnock’s race was a gentle 0.8 metres per second.

The Excelsior High School pair of Lennon Green and Damor Miller produced the next fastest times in the class at 10.51 and 10.56, both personal bests.

There was a major clash in Class 2 as Muschett High School ace Johan-Ronaldo Smythe was edged by Nyrone Wade of Kingston College, 10.76 to 10.74, personal bests for them both. Wade finished second at Champs in the Class 2 200, and his strength seemed to help him hold off Smythe near the end.

In a separate race, St Jago’s Detarji Morgan clocked 10.77 seconds.

The best of the Class 3 bunch was St Jago hurdler, Marquis Page, who was off the accelerator when the clock stopped at 11.26 seconds.

Holmwood’s hurdler/sprinter Kiara Meikle topped the girls’ Class 1 standings at 12.02 seconds. Two Class 2 girls broke 12, impressive Shanoya Douglas of Muschett, 11.82, and leggy Briana Campbell of St Jago, 11.85.

Douglas is one to watch this season. In Class 3, last year, she did the 200-400 double at Western Championships and reached both finals at Champs. Despite her move up to Class 2, she looks like a potential medal winner this time around.

The top sprinters in class 3 and 4 were St Jago schoolmates Adora Campbell at 12.08 and Naila Ama Robinson at 12.86.