Boys and Girls Championships Heats Up
World Under-20 Champion Tina Clayton of Edwin Allen High School confirmed her superiority as the finest youth female sprinter not just on the planet, but in her own country when she obliged in the Class One 100m final at the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships inside Kingston’s National Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The marquee event was dubbed the race of the five-day championships as Hydel High School’s Brianna Lyston had impressed enough this season to suggest that she had gotten over her injuries and had returned to peak form.
And Lyston’s victory over a conservative Tina in the semi-finals earlier in the day further set the stage for a showdown. It did not disappoint, as the Edwin Allen High School standout and her rival were locked in a stirring duel for most of the race with the more powerful Tina proving stronger in the negative 2.8mps headwind to stop the clock at 11.23 seconds to Lyston’s 11.26 seconds.
Tina’s twin sister Tia, also of Edwin Allen, finished third some distance back in 11.47 seconds.
Clayton’s victory was one of two in the 100m sprints for the defending girls’ champions, as Theianna-Lee Terrelonge landed the Class Three event in 11.60 seconds (0.8mps), ahead of St Jago High School’s Camoy Binger in 11.73 seconds and Hydel’s Shemonique Hazle in 11.75 seconds.
There were 17 finals on Wednesday’s second day of the meet, with the 100m events being a major schedule adjustment by the organisers. Along with the 400m being contested earlier (started on Tuesday’s first day of competition) and the short sprints, the schedule adjustments have ensured fewer finals over the last two days, which gives more rest time for the athletes.
The girls’ Class Two 100m final was won by Hydel’s Kerrica Hill who equalled Kevona Davis’s 2018 record of 11.16 seconds (1.2mps). Teammate Alana Reid was second in 11.22 seconds, with Carleta Bernard of Mount Alvernia third in 11.44 seconds.
Read More: First Session of Annual Boys’ and Girls’ Champs in the Books
In the Class Four event, Wolmer’s Natrece East won in 11.81 seconds (1.5mps) ahead of Edwin Allen’s Moesha Gayle (12.03 secs) and Janelia Williams of Excelsior in 12.10 seconds.
IN the boys’ 100m finals, Edwin Allen’s Brya Levell won the Class One event in 10.25 seconds (-0.6mps) ahead of Kingston College’s Jeevan Newby in 10.26 seconds and Herbert Morrison’s De Andre Daley in 10.36 seconds.
The Class Two version was taken by Mark Anthony Miller of Jamaica College in 10.76 seconds (-0.7mps) ahead of Gary Card of Wolmer’s Boys; School which was accredited with the same time. Third place went to Jason Lewis of Camperdown High in 10.84 seconds.
Meanwhile, Tavaine Stewart of Herbert Morrison snatched the Class Three equivalent in 11.03 seconds (0.5mps) from Calabar High’s race favourite Nickecoy Bramwell in 11.06 seconds and Fern Court’s Ajae Brown in 11.34 seconds.
Second Day Points
At the end of the second day’s action, Edwin Allen have tallied 76 points after nine finals, 22 more than Hydel High. The table is completed by ST Jago (48), Holmwood Technical 35, Immaculate Conception High 24, Camperdown with 19, Wolmer’s Girls 17, Petersfield High 10, Excelsior High 9, St Catherine High 8, St Mary High 8, Mount Alvernia High 6, Alphansus Davis High 5, Steer Town Academy 4, St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) 2, Manchester High 2, Bellefield High 2, Clarendon College 2 and Hold Childhood 1.
On the boys’ side at eight finals, Kingston College (KC) lead with 68 points, ahead of defending champions Jamaica College (JC) with 51. They are followed by St Jago 28, STETHS 23, Wolmer’s Boys’ School 18, Calabar High 17, Herbert Morrison 15, Edwin Allen 13, Clarendon College 10, Maggotty High 9, St Catherine High 8, Petersfield High 7, Fern Court 6, Camperdown High 6, Cornwall College 5, Muschett 5, Bridgeport High 2, Spot Valley High 2, Bellefield 2.
In 1500m finals, Jodyann Micthell of Holmwood Technical won the Class One girls’ event on 4:36.39 minutes ahead of Shone Walters of Mary High in 4:37.05 minutes, and Jessica McLean of Edwin Allen in 4:37.06 minutes.
Class Two was won by Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms in 4:41.50 minutes. St Jago High’s Misha-Jade Samuels in 4:47.45 minutes was second, with Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose third in 4:27.82 minutes.
For Class Three, Edwin Allen’s Kora Barnett won in 4:44.30 minutes. The Holmwood Technical High pair of Andrene Peart and Jovi Rose got second and third places, respectively.
The boys’ equivalent saw the Jamaica College pair of Jvoughnn Blake (3:56.78) and Handal Roban (3:57.09 minutes) claiming the first two places in Class One, ahead of Giovouni Henry (4:01.51 minutes).
Class Two was won by Yoshane Bowen of Maggotty High in 4:12 70 minutes, ahead of Brian Kiprop of KC in 4:13.94 minutes, with third going to Gage Buggam STETHS in 4:13.99 minutes.
For Class Three, KC copped first and third places through Kenyan Nahashon Ruto and Jevonne Robinson, respectively. Ruto finished just outside the Class Three record of 4:12.50 set in 2018.
Clarendon College’s Rushanne James was second in 4:31.31 minutes.
St Jago’s Jamora Alves threw 48.13m to win the Class One discus throw ahead of Edwin Allen’s Damali Williams with 48.09m. Third was Camperdown High’s Britannie Johnson with 46.54m.
The girls’ Class two shot put saw Victoria Christie of Camperdown winning in 14.59n. Natassia Burrell of Hydel was second with 13.99m and third went to Mija Henry with 13.51m.
The boys’ Class One long jump resulted in a good win for KC’s Jaydon Hibbert with 7.87m (-0.3mps). JC’s Uroy Ryan was second with 7.75m and third went to St Jago’s Demario Prince of St Jago with 7.28m.
The Class Two event was won by St Jago’s Balvin Israel with 7.33m. Mark Phillips of Wolmer’s was second with 7.02m and third was STETHS’ Ricoy Hunter (6.63m).
Thursday’s third day will have a dozen finals up for grabs, They include the girls’ Class 3 high jump, girls’ Open javelin, girls’ Class 4 long jump, boys’ Class 1 discus throw, girls’ Class 2 long jump, boys’ Class 2 shot put, girls’ and boys’ 400m finals in all classes.
