KC, Hydel well on their way but Champs race certainly not over
Howard Walker / Our Today
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Kingston College (KC) and Hydel High girls are leaders heading into the final day of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium but the race to the top is far from over as the chasing Calabar High and Edwin Allen are in touching distances.
KC lead the boys’ section with 136.5 points after 21 of the 42 finals and are 21 points ahead of Calabar in second with 115.
The much-touted Jamaica College are some distance back in third on 90 points and has some work to do to catch up with the top two teams. St Jago High with 59 points are fourth just ahead of Excelsior High completing the top five.
The top ten is completed by Wolmer’s Boys (41), Munro College (30), St Elizabeth Technical High School (21), St George’s College (19) and Edwin Allen (18).
In the girls’ section after 23 of the 46 finals, Hydel with 140 points holds an 11 points advantage over Edwin Allen on 129 points. Holmwood Technical are third with 106 ahead of St Jago on 60 and Immaculate Conception in fifth with 55 points.
The top 10 is completed by Vere Technical (49.5), Wolmer’s (42), St Elizabeth Technical High School (39), Excelsior High (35) and Alphansus Davis High on 26 points.
On another dramatic day at the National Stadium on Friday, Sanique Watt of Immaculate Conception turned in what might be the performance of the meet, soaring to an eye-popping 1.73m and easily destroying the previous Class Four high jump record of 1.67 set by Shian Salon in 2022.
Taiefa Gowe of Hydel High smashed the girls’ steeplechase record of 7:01.07 minutes set by Desreen Montaque in 2012, clocking an impressive 6:52.82.
Sushana Johnson of Edwin Allen was second in 6:55.69 with Terrica Clarke of Holmwood third in 7:18.93.
Immediately after, KC’s Brian Kiprop of Kenya secured his second gold winning the boys’ steeplechase in a season’s best 5:56.72 and was seven seconds clear of Ghana’s Evans Tetteh of JC in 6:03.85.
Omar Campbell of BB Coke High was the best of the local lads clocking 6:04.46 for third with Obinna Reid of Clarendon College in fourth with 6:06.48.
In the girls’ 400m hurdles open final, Kelly-Ann Carr (57.41) of Edwin Allen struck gold after turning back the challenges of the Hydel pair of Nastassia Fletcher (57.92) and Aaliyah Mullings (58.47. Shevaughn Thomas of Vere Technical was fourth with 59.24.
In the boys’ Class Two 400m hurdles, Micah Willis of Calabar won in 52.69 ahead of St Jago’s Raneil Burke in 53.57. KC’s Eshanee Porter was third in 54.02.
Kishawn Hoffman of Excelsior brought the curtain down on the fourth and penultimate day, winning the boys’ Class One 400 hurdles in 50.97 with a storming finish.
Trevoy Smith who deliberately pick-started in the 110h to concentrate on this race, was second in 51.12. Fransico Williams of St George’s College closed well for third in 51.14.
Earlier, Calabar’s Shamar Shaw won his second gold of the meet winning the Class Three long jump with 6.47m. KC’s Daquan Dawkins was second with 6.18m with Omeco Henclewood of JC claiming third with 5.95m.
But KC ended with the most points as Nahjheir Francis was fifth and the Famed Purples walked away with 11 points compared to Calabar’s nine as jumper Oraine Perkins finished in 11th spot.
Lenworth Chung of Calabar defended his pole vault title clearing 3.80m with Rhyeem Campbell of Excelsior High second with 3.70m. Tray Barrett of St Jago and KC’s Isaac Reid were third and fourth respectively with 3.70m.
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