With momentum now firmly established, the title races at the 2026 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships began to take clearer shape on Thursday’s third day inside Kingston’s National Stadium.
Jamaica College has surged into a commanding position in the boys’ standings, amassing 119 points after 14 of 42 finals. Their advantage over traditional rivals and defending champions Kingston College, who sit on 68 points, now stretches to 51, placing them firmly in control heading into the penultimate day. Calabar High remain within striking distance in third on 65.5 points, followed by St Jago High (41) and Wolmer’s Boys’ (30).
In the girls’ division, Edwin Allen High appear equally authoritative. Their tally of 94.5 points after 15 of 46 events places them well ahead of defending champions Hydel High (60), with Holmwood Technical (57), Immaculate Conception (52), and Convent of Mercy (Alpha) (30.5) completing the top five.
Salmon rewrites history with discus masterclass
Jamaica College’s dominance was underscored by a generational performance from Joseph Salmon in the Class One boys’ discus.
Already threatening the record entering the championships, Salmon delivered emphatically, first breaking the longstanding mark of 66.88m set in 2011, before extending it further with a massive 67.52 metres. The series reflected complete control, with multiple throws surpassing the previous record.
The effort not only secured gold but established a new national Under-20 record and a world-leading mark for the age group.
Calabar’s Kamari Kennedy (60.84m) and Munro College’s Rajeem Street (59.13m) completed the podium but were left trailing in the wake of a truly elite performance.
Quarter-mile fireworks: Pitter delivers historic run
If Salmon’s dominance set the tone, Kingston College’s Jason Pitter ignited the track.
The Class Two 400 metres final produced one of the most electrifying performances of the championships, as Pitter stormed to 45.76 seconds, obliterating the previous record of 46.33 seconds set in 2016. His execution was precise and controlled, unleashing his finishing speed to devastating effect.
Remarkably, his time eclipsed that of the Class One champion, underlining the quality of his run.
Excelsior’s Jaeden Campbell (46.74) and Calabar’s Diwayne Sharpe (46.82) chased gamely but could not contain the surge.
In Class One, Foga Road High’s Paul Henry delivered a late-race charge to secure victory in 46.21 seconds, overtaking early leader Makaelan Woods of Jamaica College in the closing stages. Hydel’s Junior Gallimore (46.33) settled for second, with Woods third in 46.39.
Jamaica College found additional success in Class Three, securing a one-two finish through Jayden Whyte (50.10) and Tariq Creary (50.69), reinforcing their growing advantage in the team standings.
Girls’ 400m: Precision and poise under pressure
The girls’ quarter-mile finals offered equally compelling drama, defined by composure under pressure.
Edwin Allen’s Kelly Ann Carr delivered a standout performance in the Class One final, holding off Hydel’s fast-closing Nastassia Fletcher to win in a personal best 52.20 seconds. Fletcher clocked 52.48 seconds for second, while Holmwood’s Abrina Wright took third in 52.81 seconds.
Foga Road High emerged as a major force, securing multiple victories. Shanieka McLean captured the Class Three title in 52.28 seconds, while Hydel’s Tyecia McDonald took top honors in Class Two with 55.00 seconds.
Field event impact: Crucial points shift the balance
Beyond the track, the field events continued to shape the championship narrative.
Kingston College struck early in the Class Three boys’ high jump, claiming maximum points with a one-two finish as Jayden Bailey and Joel Patrickson both cleared 1.78 metres, briefly trimming Jamaica College’s lead.
Hydel High’s Zavien Bernard soared to victory in the girls’ Class Two long jump with 5.75m, while Immaculate Conception’s Sanique Watt captured the Class Three high jump crown at 1.71m.
St Elizabeth Technical’s Anastacia Richards secured gold in the Class Four long jump with 5.32m, adding further depth to the day’s field event successes.
Munro College also made its mark, with Brandon Lawrence producing a strong 18.40m effort to win the Class Two boys’ shot put.
Sprints set the stage: Relay and 200m battles brewing
While finals dominated the spotlight, the preliminary rounds hinted at fierce battles still to come.
The 200-meter heats saw defending champion Sanjay Seymore emerge as the fastest qualifier, while several contenders, including Jamaica College, Kingston College, and Calabar, advanced comfortably across classes.
In the 4x100m relays, all major contenders safely progressed, setting up what promises to be a high-stakes showdown. Edwin Allen, Jamaica College, Kingston College, and Calabar all displayed strong early form, with margins suggesting little room for error in the finals.
Momentum meets opportunity
Day Three ultimately belonged to Jamaica College and Edwin Allen, whose consistency across disciplines has placed them firmly on course for championship glory.
Yet, with two days remaining and several marquee events still to be contested, the pursuit is far from over. Kingston College, Calabar, Hydel, and Holmwood have all shown flashes of resilience, and in Champs, momentum can shift as quickly as it builds.
For now, however, the message is unmistakable: the leaders are not just ahead, they are accelerating.
