Edwin Allen, St Jago set to retain Central Champs titles

DEFENDING champions, Edwin Allen High and St. Jago High are set to retain their female and male Central Championships titles respectively following day one action of the two-day meet  at G.C. Foster College yesterday.
The Michael Dyke-coached Edwin Allen, seeking to make it nine wins in a row, are way out in front with 134 points with second place Holmwood  some 66 points behind on  68. Hydel 61, Vere Technical 47 and St. Jago High on 43 close out the top five.
  St  Jago's boys who have never been beaten at Central Championships are on top with 90 points and they are followed by St  Edwin Allen 25, Holmwood 24, Christiana High 20 and Clarendon College 19.
 The  opening day saw several records being broken on the track and in the field with St Jago High's Brianna Lyston leading the way after a smashing performance in the Class Three girls 100 metres. Lyston, the outstanding Class Four sprinter at last year's ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships, clocked 11.78 seconds in the preliminary round of the 100m to break the old record of 11.97 set by Hydel High's Ray-donna Lee in 2015. Holmwood's Sasheika Steele 12.00,  along with the Edwin Allen High duo of Tia Clayton  12.05 and Serena Cole 12.19 seconds all won their heats to set up a big clash in  the final today.
  IAAF World Under 18 bronze medallist in the 100 metres, Kevona Davis of Edwin Allen High, was also in record breaking mood in the Class  Two girls 200 metres as she won her heat in 23.99 seconds to break the old mark of 24.30 set by former Vere Technical athlete, Britany Anderson last year.
  Hydel High's Shian Salmon was also outstanding in the preliminary round of the girls' 400m hurdles open as she clocked  58.40 seconds to become the fastest schoolgirl in  the event this season.
 Yesterday saw the finals of all the 1500m  for males and  females where Edwin Allen dominated winning two of three finals for the girls. Jessica Nelson won Class Three in 4:50.68, ahead of teammate Rushana Dwyer, 4:55.33. Kara Grant won Class Two for Edwin Allen in a meet record 4:34.12 , removing  Chrissani May's (Holmwood) one year old record of 4:38.71. Holmwood's Delvern Bromfield won Class  Two in 4:46.52.
  Among the boys,   the Class  Three 1500m went to Henrick Nelson of St Jago in a record 4:18.16 while  Class  Two went to Kirk Dawkins of Ascot High in 4:16.13.
Edwin Allen also dominated the jumps.  Class Two high jumper Janique Burgher led  the way after clearing the bar at 1.82m to break the old mark of 1.75m set by Vere's Lamar Distin last year.
    Edwin Allen's Brianna Watt took home the Class Three long jump with 5.15 metres while Ackeila Smith gave Edwin Allen a win in the girls' triple jump Open with 12.99 metres, ahead of teammate Lotavia Brown  with 12.30 metres.
 It was also a good day for St. Jago's boys in field events as they were involved in two record breaking performances. Lushane Wilson led the way in the Class One boys boys high jump  winning with 2.16m, breaking the old mark of 2.05m he set a year ago. Teammate Roje Stona threw the Class  One discus at 61.71metres to break the 54.97m mark he set last year.
 The meet,  which is the final leg of the Grand Prix series will come to an end today starting at 9 a.m with the 2000 metres steeplechase finals for girls.