Jamaican hurdlers reign supreme at East Coast Int’l

BALTIMORE, Maryland:

COMPETING IN very cold and chilly conditions, St Jago’s Brianna Campbell and the Excelsior duo of Richard Hall and Rajawn Davis enjoyed big wins for Jamaican athletes at yesterday’s third staging of the Puma East Coast International Showcase at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Baltimore, Maryland.

Campbell, who was disqualified for false-starting in the Class 2 final at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships, won the girls’ 100-metre hurdles in 13.54 seconds.

Campbell was able to stave off fierce challenges from Hydel High School’s Shania Myers, second in 13.63, and Holmwood Technical’s Kiara Meikle, third in 13.75.

“I am extremely proud in winning the event, as I was really disappointed at Champs when I was disqualified. It was really cold but I just stayed focused and executed well,” she said.

Hall won a very close event in the 110-metre hurdles, with the unattached Yashahya Brown going to the line with him. In the end, Hall got the nod, though he and Brown went over the line in 13.66 seconds. Anthony Dematha of Union Catholic High ended third in 14.19.

“The weather was much better than when I ran in the preliminary round and I took advantage of this. It was a good win in my final race of the season, before World Under-20 trials. I just followed the instructions of my coach and executed well,” he said.

Davis closed out the third individual win for Jamaican athletes at the meet after clocking 52.22 seconds to capture the boys’ 400-metre hurdles.

Tonovilla Hicks of the Haiti national team was second in 53.70, with third going to Lucca Pizzimbono with 54.34s

Quincy Wilson out of Bullis High school, the World Under-20 400-metres world leader did not disappoint with an outstanding performance. He improved his previous personal best of 45.19 seconds to win the event in 45.17.

Earlier, there was mixed results in the blue riband 100 metres for Jamaican athletes.

Among the girls, Travis McKenzie out of Evangelical Christian School in Florida captured the event in 11.62 seconds with Alliah Baker of Hydel, second in 11.68. Sabrina Dockery of Lavovia High School was third in 11.80, while Shanoya Douglas of Muschette High was fourth in 11.81. Shemonique Hazle of Hydel was fifth in 11.95.

Among the boys, there was disappointment for Excelsior’s Damor Miller, who was disqualified for a false start, paving the way for Shaun McCoullum of George Washington High to win in 10.59.

However, Excelsior would exact some revenge, winning the boys’ 4x100 metres in 41.05 seconds. Excelsior finished ahead of St Jago, 41.37, and the Cayman Islands, third in 42.25.

St Jago won the girls’ event in 46.24, ahead of Wheaton High, second in 48.22, and Vere Technical, third in 48.52.

There were two wins for Jamaican athletes in field events, led by Jamaica College’s Shaquan Dunn. Fresh off his success at the Penn Relays, Dunn won the boys’ shot put with a heave of 19.69 metres, finishing ahead of teammate Josh Ty Brown, 19.35.

Vere Technical’s Kijonna Lee won the girls’ high jump, clearing the bar at 1.57 metres.