Kingston College (KC) flexed its championship muscle on Thursday night, widening its lead in the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at Kingston’s National Stadium.
With 15 finals completed, the defending champions surged to 99.5 points, leaving archrival Calabar High trailing in second place with 76 points. Jamaica College, which had held the runner-up spot on Tuesday, slipped to third with 54 points, while St. Jago High (34) and Excelsior High (33) rounded out the top five.
On the girls’ side, former champions Hydel High executed a stunning comeback. After finishing Tuesday in fourth place, Hydel seized the lead with 88 points, narrowly edging past early frontrunners Edwin Allen High, who now sit at 84 points. Holmwood Technical is locked in a close third with 83 points, while St. Jago High (48) and Immaculate High (35) remain within striking distance after 16 finals.
KC’s sprint kings dominate the 400m finals
In a spectacular display of speed and endurance, KC stamped their authority on the boys’ 400m finals. The Class 1 event delivered a thrilling one-two finish, with Tajh-Marques White clocking a personal best of 45.84 seconds to claim gold, just ahead of teammate Marcinho Rose, who secured silver in 45.90 seconds. Holmwood Technical’s Omarie Williamson took bronze in 46.66 seconds.
KC’s momentum had started in the Class 2 400m, where Jason Pitter blazed to victory in 47.92 seconds, fending off Calabar’s Diwayne Sharpe (48.30) and Denbigh High’s Chanton White (48.56). Meanwhile, Calabar countered with a dominant performance in the Class 3 event, as Rajeve Allison (50.33) and Justin McKoy (50.60) delivered maximum points with a first- and second-place finish. Lacovia High’s Nicholas Jones (50.73) settled for third.
Hydel surges to the front with 400m dominance
Hydel High’s rise to the top of the girls’ standings was fueled by a phenomenal performance in the 400m finals. Abigail Campbell ignited their campaign by storming to gold in the Class 1 event, clocking 53.03 seconds to outpace Holmwood’s Abrina Wright (53.53) and Edwin Allen’s Kellyann Carr (53.53).
The school’s dominance was most evident in the Class 2 showdown, where Nastassia Fletcher (52.82) and Sashana Johnson (54.08) delivered a commanding one-two finish. Holmwood’s Madison Campbell (54.44) rounded off the podium.
Meanwhile, in the Class 3 400m, Foga Road High’s Shaneika McLean took gold in 54.22 seconds, ahead of Holmwood’s Tracey-Ann Evans (55.55) and Hydel’s Shaneil Henry (56.19).
Battle in the field events
While no single school dominated the field events, standout performances kept the competition fierce. Joseph Salmon of Jamaica College hurled the Class 1 discus to an impressive 62.1m, leaving St. Catherine’s Rajay Hemmings (54.61m) and Munro College’s Rajeem Street (54.50m) battling for silver and bronze.
Munro had their moment of glory in the Class 2 shot put, where Javonte Smith’s 18.81m throw secured gold ahead of Calabar’s Kamari Kennedy (18.29m) and St. Catherine’s Adrian Daley (17.30m).
In the boys’ Class 3 high jump, Calabar’s Shamar Shaw claimed victory with a leap of 1.78m in a tightly contested final, where KC’s Jamari Nugent and Herbert Morrison Tech’s Leondrae Thomas tied for second at the same height.
On the girls’ side, Hydel’s Natassia Burrell showcased her strength in the javelin throw Open, winning with a mark of 45.23m. Immaculate’s Zoelle Jamel (41.20m) and Vere’s Ramona Freemantle (39.37m) completed the podium.
In the long jump, Jaeda Robinson of Immaculate soared to 5.91m in the Class 2 event, edging out Hydel’s Zavien Bernard (5.87m) and St. Jago’s Janella Canns (5.55m). The Class 4 equivalent saw St. Elizabeth Technical’s Anastacia Richards take top honors with 5.49m.
KC’s decathlon champion disqualified
A cloud of controversy emerged Friday when news broke that KC’s Jurel Clement, who had secured victory in the boys’ decathlon, was disqualified. Reports indicate that the school violated ISSA’s quota system for Class 1 athletes, resulting in forfeited points. While KC remains in the lead, the setback raises questions about how this ruling could impact the final standings.
With more action to come, the stage is set for a thrilling climax to Champs 2025, where every point will be fiercely contested in the battle for championship glory.
 flexed its championship muscle on Thursday night, widening its lead in Champs at Kingston’s National Stadium.){kind=link}