Trudy Williams presents the trophy for the champion girls' school to Racquel Farquharson (left), captain of the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) team, at last Saturday's Milo Western Athletics Championship at STETHS, in Santa Cruz. - Photos by Adrian Frater

Trudy Williams presents the trophy for the champion boys' school to Shawnterry Manboard, captain of the Munro College boys' team, at last Saturday's Milo Western Athletics Championship at STETHS.

Western Bureau:

On a day when teenage sensation Keniel Harrison evoked memories of the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, Munro College and their parish neighbours St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) retained the boys' and girls' titles, respectively, at the Western Athletics Championship, which ended on Saturday at STETHS.

The lanky Harrison, displaying class, speed and composure, emerged a triple champion by winning the Class Three boys 100m (11:61), 200m (23:08) and 400m (52:32), respectively.

World Junior 100 metres champion, Dexter Lee, of Herbert Morrison, took the Class One boys sprint double - the 100m and 200m.

At the end of the championship, which saw nine records being smashed on the grass surface, Munro College emerged head and shoulders above all the other schools in retaining their boys' title, winning by over 100 points.

The top five finishers among the boys read: Munro College 447, STETHS, 326, Herbert Morrison, 273, Petersfield, 135 and William Knibb, 103.

Jamaica's World Youth Championship representative, Shavine Hodges, emerged the outstanding female, winning the girls' Class Two 200m (25:44) and 400m (57:98) for Herbert Morrison.

Very good championship

STETHS was the clear winner of the girls' title, finishing ahead of the field by a clear 63 points. The top five places were as follows: STETHS, 428, Herbert Morrison, 365, Frome, 152, Grange Hill, 104 and Hampton, 87.

"It was a very good championship based on the many outstanding performances," noted Trudy Williams, who represented main sponsors, Milo. "As the food drink of champions, Milo takes pleasure in working with current and future champions."

Exemplary performances

In the boys' section, in addition to young Harrison, Munro also got exemplary performances from Mikhail Johns, who won the triple jump open (13.60) and Tevin Wilson, who won the Class Four boys 100m (12:55).

In addition to Lee, who clocked 11:12 and 22:65 in winning the Class One boys' 100m and 200m, Herbert Morrison also got quality perfor-mances from Teivaskie Lewin and Demar Wood, who both jumped 1.95m to finish first and second, respectively, in the Class One boys high jump.

In the girls' section, STETHS' march to victory was sparked by outstanding performances in all the classes and across the various disciplines. Among the athletes that sparkled were Rochel Farquharson, the Class Two hurdles champion (15:89), Kimone Green, the Class Two 80m hurdles winner, Lashana Dennis, the Class Three 100m (13:14) victor and their Class One 4x100m (49:37) team.

Standing tall

Besides the dazzling Hodges, Herbert Morrison's girls also had good winning performances from Nicola Green in the Class Two girls' 800m (2.16:82) and 1500m (5.20:40); Class One, girls' discus, through Lisa Grant (31:16); the 400m Class One through Latisha Bigsby (1.00:75; and Danielle Kerr in the Class Three girls' 400m (58:55).

The STETHS boys also stood tall through Akeem Williams, the Class Four 400m (55.51) winner; the sprint medley open (3:40:40) team; Dwayne Hibbert in the boys 1500m, Class Two (4:23.21) and Nicholas Maitland, with a record-breaking 51:57 in the boys 400m hurdles open.

While the William Knibb boys were overshadowed by Munro, STETHS and Herbert Morrison, they left patrons with an unforgettable memory in the Class One 4x100m where, paced by a sparkling second leg by Rajiv Service, who had earlier finished second in the Class One 400m (49:10), they blazed to victory in 41:90.