Favourites KC, Edwin Allen in front at Champs

DEFENDING BOYS’ champions, Kingston College (KC) and former girls’ champions Edwin Allen High have narrow leads going into today’s fourth day of competition at the 2024 ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium

KC are on 118 points, six ahead of main rivals Jamaica College (JC) on 112. Calabar 55, St Jago 48 and Excelsior 40 close out the top five.

Edwin Allen, 109, lead defending champions Hydel (97) by 12 points and they are followed by St Jago 58, Immaculate Conception 45 and Wolmer’s Girls 34.

Hydel’s Sashana Johnson in Class Three and Abigail Campbell in Class One were impressive winners of their 400 metres finals. Johnson won the Class Three event in a personal best 54.59 seconds, ahead of Holmwood Technical’s Tracyann Evans, 55.28, with Kevina Bourne of Port Antonio taking third in 56.78.

Campbell was very impressive in Class One winning in 52.27. Running a controlled race behind Edwin Allen’s Natasha Fox who had a big lead going into the final 100m, Campbell kept her composure to win in a personal best time. Edwin Allen were second and third. Tonyann Beckford took second in 53.32 and Fox third in 54.48.

Muschett High’s Shanoya Douglas maintained her unbeaten record after clocking a swift 53.03 to win the Class Two event. Edwin Allen’s Kellyann Carr finished second in 53.58 and Natassia Fletcher of Hydel, third in 53.91.

St Jago’s Rushaine Richards won the Class Three boys’ 400m clocking a personal best 49.54. JC picked up valuable points in the event as Oneil Lawrence was second in 50.11 and teammate Kyle Thompson third in 51.07.

Like they did the previous day in the Class One 100m, the David Riley-coached Excelsior High pulled off a massive upset in the Class Two boys’ 400m. Demarco Bennett raced to an impressive 46.91 to deny the howling favourite, Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar who was second in 47.30. Jabari Matheson of William Knibb ran on strongly for third in 47.40.

In the final event of the night KC picked up maximum 16 points in the Class One boys’ 400m. Marchino Rose led the way winning in a personal best 45.93 ahead of teammate Amal Glasgow who was second in 46.88. JC’s Omary Robinson ran on strongly for third in 46.95.

Hydel High’s Class Three high jumper Zavien Bernard she broke the second record of the meet and successfully defended her title.

Bernard who was perfect all the way throughout the competition cleared the bar at 1.83 metres and in the process erased the old mark of 1.80m set by former Excelsior High jumper, Shantea Foreman in 2018. Bernard could have gone higher but because of relay duties she made no more attempts.

St Catherine High’s Ishani Armstrong was a gold medallist in the Class Four long jump with a winning distance of 5.25 metres. Jowana Pennant picked up the silver for St Andrew High with 5.13m as Daina Black of Hydel closed out the top three with 5.09m.

Immaculate Conception High’s Zoelle Jamel had a victory on her birthday after winning the javelin throw open with a mark of 42.63m. Alliah Gittens of Edwin Allen took second with 42.57m as Natassia Burrell of Hydel finished third with 40.05m.

In a battle between the fifth and sixth place finishers from last year’s contest, St Jago’s Nicardo Johnson who was fifth, improved to first place in the Class Three boys’ high jump after clearing the bar at 1.87m. Stesean Hurd of Kingston College took second with 1.85m with third going to St Mary High’s Desjuan Lewis with 1.84m.

Yesterday saw first round action in the 4x100m relays, the 200m and the 800m. The semifinals of the 200 and 800m will be contested today while the finals of the 4x100m will be contested on tomorrow’s final day.

Competition will start at 9 a.m today with the first event the 100m hurdles for heptathlon athletes. Thirteen finals are down for the day, eight in the field and five on the track. The track finals are the 400m hurdles open for girls, Class Two boys’ 400m hurdles, Class One boys’ 400m hurdles and the 2000m steeplechase open for girls and boys.