Kingston, Jamaica – As the nation’s premier high school track and field event, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships (Champs) looms on the horizon, anticipation is at an all-time high.
From March 25 to March 29, 2025, Kingston’s National Stadium will once again become the proving ground for the country’s most electrifying young athletes.
This year’s edition promises showdowns of speed, endurance, and tactical brilliance, with several standout athletes entering the championships in scintillating form. After months of intense training and dominating performances across the preseason circuit, here’s a closer look at some of the stars set to light up Champs 2025.
The sprint kings: Gary Card, Shaquane Gordon and Tyrese Foreman
Gary Card of Wolmer’s Boys School has established himself as the fastest schoolboy in the country, confirming his dominance at the Carifta Trials, where he stormed to a 10.21-second victory in the U-20 100m final. “I feel strong and ready. The goal is to execute well and bring my best to Champs,” Card confidently stated.
Chasing him down will be Shaquane Gordon of Calabar High, who clocked 10.36 seconds in that same race. Gordon, known for his explosive starts, has been fine-tuning his acceleration phase under the guidance of his coaches. Meanwhile, Tyrese Foreman of St. George’s College will be a major contender, showing his class throughout the season with impressive times in both the 100m and 200m.
The 400m battle is shaping up to be one for the ages, with Marcinho Rose of Kingston College leading the charge. At the Carifta Trials, he clocked a personal best 47.49 seconds, finishing just behind Mona High’s Kevin Bliss. “This season has been about improving my strength and execution in the last 100 meters,” Rose shared.
Joining him in the title hunt is TajMarques White, also of Kingston College, who has been a consistent force in the quarter-mile event. With both Rose and White sharpening their speed and endurance, the 400m final at Champs could produce record-breaking times.
Mididistance powerhouses
For those watching the middle-distance events, Antonio Powell of St. Elizabeth Technical and Shavan Jarrett of Calabar will be ones to watch. Powell, a tactician on the track, has showcased brilliant form in the 800m, using calculated strides to outlast his competition. Jarrett, on the other hand, has been aggressive in the 1500m, consistently setting personal bests throughout the season.
The female sprint events will feature Sabrina Dockery, the newly crowned U-20 100m champion at the Carifta Trials, where she displayed exceptional power and speed. “My focus is on execution—once I get that right, everything else will fall into place,” Dockery affirmed.
Meanwhile, Shanoya Douglas and Natrece East have been lighting up the track in the 200m and 400m events, respectively. Douglas has shown consistent improvement in her top-end speed, while East’s endurance makes her a threat in any one-lap showdown.
What’s at stake?
Beyond individual glory, Champs 2025 will be another chapter in the historic battle among Jamaica’s track powerhouses—Kingston College, Calabar, Jamaica College, Edwin Allen, and Hydel. These schools have produced some of the best talents in the country, and their athletes will be looking to etch their names in the annals of Champs history.
With just days to go, the athletes have sharpened their skills, fine-tuned their starts, and mastered their finishes. Now, it all comes down to execution on the grandest stage of Jamaican high school athletics.
Let the races begin.
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