Edwin Allen High School emerged victorious from an intense battle with St Jago High and Hydel to defend their title Saturday as the 2021 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Championships came to a conclusion at the National Stadium in Kingston.

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All three scored over 300 points – Edwin Allen 340, St Jago 309.5 and Hydel 301.5- but the girls from Frankfield, Clarendon, simply had too much depth for their rivals despite the fact that they were hardly a factor in the early exchanges on Saturday.

For instance, they did not have a representative in the final of the Class 3 400m that was won in impressive fashion by Ferncourt High School’s Abigail Campbell, who finished strong to win in 54.86, more than a second faster than Shevaughn Thomas of Vere Technical, who clocked 55.96 for the silver medal. St Catherine High’s Kitania Headley ran 56.08 for third.

Meanwhile, their lone entrant Kacian Powell was seventh in the Class 2 race won by Clarendon College’s Dejeana Oakley ran 52.51 to win a close battle with Oneika McAnnuff of Hydel High who finished second in 52.54. Hydel’s Alliah Baker was third in 54.55.

Edwin Allen also did not have a finalist in the Class I 400m in which Rusea’s High School’s Aaliyah Francis clocked 52.51 for the gold medal. Garriel White of Hydel claimed the silver medal after crossing the finish line in 52.77 while Vere Technical’s Annalee Robinson ran 53.35 for the bronze medal.

The champion’s glaring absence was also evident at the start of the 800m. Rhianna Gayle pulled out of the Class 3 800m that was eventually won by Vere Technical’s LaTanya Johnson, who surged past a rapidly fading Cindy Rose to win in 2:12.52.

Fortunately for Rose, she was far enough ahead of her teammate Andrene Peart, to be able to hold on for second place and record a time of 2:23.91. Peart clocked 2:15.76.

However, it wasn’t long after that the champions began to make their presence felt.

Rickeisha Simms won the Class 2 800m in 2:08.76 over Holmwood Technical’s Jodyann Mitchell who ran 2:09.19 to finish second. Shone Walters of St. Mary (2:10.64) won the bronze medal.

However, while Edwin Allen were seemingly content to pick up random points, St Jago were rapidly closing the distance between themselves and the leaders. They had a 1-2 finish in the Class 1 800m won by Alesia Douglas in 2:10.54 who fought hard to hold off her teammate Sancia Smith who clocked 2:10.58 to be the runner-up. Jessica McLean of Edwin Allen was third in 2:11.97.

The Class 4 200m was won by Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge who clocked 25.35 running into a headwind of -2.1m/s. Poshanna-Lee Blake of St Jago was second in 25.78 while Tihanna Reid of Hydel was third in 25.80.

Tina Clayton won the second of her three gold medals when she ran a fast 23.45 to win the Class 2 200m. In the race where the athletes ran into a headwind of -3.2m/s Alana Reid of Hydel was the runner-up clocking 24.29 with her teammate Onieka McAnnuff coming in third in 24.57.

The Class 1 girls faced a similar headwind but Aaliyah Francis of Rusea’s proved to be the strongest fighting through the wind to stop the clock at 23.85. Edwin Allen’s Bethany Bridge was the next best crossing over in 24.25 while St. Jago’s Joanne Reid finished third in 24.42.

Manchester High School won the Sprint Medley in 4:03.25 leaving Holmwood Technical (4:03.87) and Hydel High (4:04.79) in their wake.

The 3000m race was won by St. Jago’s Rushell Johnson in 10:46.16 over Holmwood Technical’s Samantha Pryce (10:56.35) and Hydel’s Jodian Campbell (11:04.43).

TINA CLAYTON WON THIRD GOLD MEDAL

St Jago won the Class 1 4x100m relay in 45.44 in a fierce battle with Hydel who finished second in 45.51. Holmwood were third in 45.59.

Tina Clayton won her third gold medal when she and her sister Tia spurred Edwin Allen to a record-breaking run of 44.81 in the Class 2 sprint relay. They simply had too much firepower for Hydel who were well back in a time of 45.50. St Jago took the bronze in 47.08.

Hydel won the Class 3 event in 46.44 over St Jago (47.35) and Edwin Allen (47.62), who were second and third, respectively.

Edwin Allen won their second sprint relay title clocking 47.70 to win the Class 4 relay over Hydel (48.25) and Vere Technical (48.71).

Hydel closed out an impressive championship performance when they won the 4x400m relay in 3:38.99 over Holmwood Technical (3:40.27) and St Jago (3:41.68).

Holmwood Technical closed the championships with 160.5 points while Vere Technical scored 128 points to round out the top five