Kingston College (KC) holds a slim seven-and-a-half-point lead over Jamaica College (JC) going into Saturday’s finale, following yet another compelling day of action at the 2021 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

After 24 events, the boys from North Street have 187 points on the board with the boys from Old Hope Road hot on their heels with 179.5. Calabar High have 144 points and they are followed by St Elizabeth Technical on 93 and St Jago on 63.

Meanwhile, the final day for the girls is also shaping up to be electrifying as, even though five-time defending champions Edwin Allen have a significant lead, it is not insurmountable. After 27 events, the school from Frankfield in Clarendon have 213 points while the girls from Monk Street in Spanish Town have 187.5. Hydel are next with 161.5. Holmwood, 65.5, and Vere, 49, complete the top five.

Late in the day, KC earned themselves some breathing room when they picked up 15 points in the Class 2 400m hurdles thanks to gold medalist Antonio Forbes who won in 51.84 and Shamari Jennings, who ran 52.52 for third. Shamer Blake of STETHS ran 52.16 for silver.

However, JC roared right back in the final event of the day when Javier Brown won the Class 1 400m hurdles in a new record of 49.86 and KC finished out of the medals. However, the seven points they got from Rayon Campbell and Jayden Brown, who were fifth and sixth respectively, is the difference between both teams heading into Saturday’s final day.

Devontie Archer of Excelsior ran 50.43 for the silver medal and Roshawn Clarke of Camperdown clocked 50.93 for third.

KC had picked up some big points early when in the Class 3 long jump Shamir Kelly jumped 6.82m for the win and his teammate Roshawn Onfroy won bronze with 6.40m. Edward Sterling of Wolmer’s won the silver with 6.79m.

Calabar had a good day in the field where they picked up the bulk of the points scored on Friday.

Javar Thomas of Calabar won the Class 2 triple jump in a keen battle against Jaydon Hibbert of KC. However, Thomas emerged victorious with a 15.23m triple jump as Hibbert finished second with 15.15m. Michael Curriah of JC jumped 14.61m for third.

Calabar went 1-3 in the Class I Boys shot put. Like he has been all season, Kobe Lawrence showed why he is a class above the rest throwing an even 19m for the gold medal. Christopher Young of Edwin Allen won the silver with a throw of 18.30. Lawrence’s teammate Denz Simmons locked up the bronze medal with a throw of 17.26m.

The boys from Red Hills Road also had a good showing in the pole vault competition that was won by Kito Campbell, who vaulted over 3.90m. His fellow Lion, Julian Francis, was third having vaulted 3.80m.

They were split by KC’s Jafar Moore, who had a similar height to Francis but had one less miss at 3.80m.

Luke Brown made it a really good day in the field for Calabar when he jumped 15.69m to win the Class I triple jump. Jhavor Bennett of STETHS won the silver medal with 15.31m and Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley of Wolmer’s claimed the bronze with 15.11m.

Among the girls, Edwin Allen’s Asia McKay cleared 1.62m to win the Class 4 Girls high jump. The silver medal went to Jayla Williams of St Jago, who cleared 1.55m. Rhianna Lewis of Rhodes Hall jumped 1.50m for the bronze medal.

Ackelia Smith of Edwin Allen jumped 13.42m to win the triple jump over Hydel’s Velecia Williams who jumped 12.87m. Kahdijah Bailey of St Jago was third with a jump of 12.25m.

Roxene Simpson of Clarendon College threw 45.85m to win the Class 1 discus while her teammate Kimola Hines threw 44.98m for the silver medal. Fabrienne Foster of Manchester won the bronze medal with a throw of 43.79m.

Garriel White of Hydel won the 400m hurdles in 57.65. She was just too good for Moseiha Bridgen of Vere Technical, who ran 58.90 for second place. Edwin Allen’s Jodyann Dixon finished third in 60.35.a