Herbert Morrison Technical's Dexter Lee (left) dips at the tape to beat St Jago High School's Nickel Ashmeade (second right) and win the Class One 100m final at the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletic Championships at the National Stadium yesterday. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Kingston College, the 30-time boys' champions, continued to dictate the pace after three days of the annual GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships at the National Stadium last night.
After 14 finals, the North Street-based school has hit the century mark and hold a commanding lead over its chief rival, defending champions Calabar High, going into today's final day. KC lead the way with 106 points to Calabar's 75. Jamaica College were third on 67 and they were followed by Wolmer's 64, Munro 27, St Jago 26, Bridgeport 23 and St George's College 22.
fortis scoring well
The North Street-based boys scored well throughout the day and hit it big in the 400m hurdles open final, when Keiron Stewart and Andre Peart crossed the line first and second to give their team a massive 16 points, as main rivals Calabar scored only a point when Marlon Dixon placed eighth.
In the girls' championship race, Holmwood Technical continued to pile on the points and today it is just a matter of whether they can better the 351 points they were predicted to get by the official championships programme.
Holmwood are cruising at the top of the girls' standings with 162.5 points, 66.5 more than Edwin Allen's 96. Vere Technical 67.5, St Jago 54, Manchester 53, St Hugh's 43, Wolmer's 34 and Queen's 29 round off the top eight.
On the track last night, the outstanding performer was Bellefield High's Kemoy Campbell. Campbell, the most promising local middle-distance runner, became the first schoolboy to run under three minutes, 50 seconds at the annual championships, when he clocked 3:48.43 to win the Class One 1500m.
final lap lead
Campbell ran away from his rivals on the final lap to lower the 3:51.97 set by Vere Technical's Dudley Dawkins in 1992. There were personal best times for Edwin Allen's Conroy Crossman who was second in 3:56.53, and Manchester's Daren Lindsay, third in 3:57.13.
There was a bit of history in the girls' 400m hurdles open final, when sisters Nikita Tracey and Ristananna Tracey, both of Edwin Allen, took first and second. Nikita, 18, won in 57.41 with her 16-year-old sister second in 58.49.
Minutes later, Kingston College duplicated Edwin Allen's effort, Stewart, 51.14, finishing ahead of Andre Peart, 51.67m, in the boys' 400m hurdles open. Nicholas Maitland, St Elizabeth, was third in 52.16.
The 1500m for Class Two boys ended in an easy win for Jamaica College's Waquar Dacosta, the pre-championships favourite. DaCosta took control from 300 metres out and sprinted clear of his rivals to win in 4:06.96 ahead of Kellits High's Sanjer Pantry, 4:08.43.
The 1500m for girls Class Two saw Holmwood stretching their lead as Peterne Plummer led home her teammate Amoya Bailey.
Special presentations were made to the four honourees of this year's meet - Olympians Raymond Stewart and Beverly McDonald, veteran meet official Carol Cuffley and coach Fitz Coleman - before the championships was declared officially open by Douglas Orane, chairman and chief executive officer of title sponsors GraceKennedy.
difficult for calabar
Today, it will be difficult for Calabar to overhaul Kingston College as the purple and white-clad school has placed many finalists in the remaining events.
In the 400m finals Calabar have three representatives, including the favourite Ramone McKenzie, and KC two. In the 800m, KC will be represented by four athletes while Calabar have just two, including Rory Rhoden, one of the favourites for the Class One gold.
KC have placed the maximum six competitors in the hurdles finals with Calabar having four. KC's pair of Keiron Stewart and Clive Pullen are the favourites in Classes One and Three, respectively. Calabar's Travis Drummond should run well in Class Two.
Both top contenders are represented in all relays. Calabar have the fastest times in two of the three sprint relays. They are the favourites in classes One and Two and have the second fastest time in Class Three.
In the medley relay KC are the fastest qualifiers, as they prevailed over Calabar in a thrilling heat three yesterday afternoon.
The two rivals have also placed two athletes each in the Class One high jump, which will be contested this evening.
Day Four Schedule
9:00 A.M: Girls Long Jump Class 3 Prelims
9:00 A.M: Girls 200m Class 4 Semis
9:10 A.M: Girls 200m Class 3 Semis
9:20 A.M: Boys 200m Class 3 Semis
9:30 A.M: Girls 200m Class 2 Semis
9:40 A.M: Boys 200m Class 2 Semis
9:50 A.M: Girls 200m Class 1 Semis
10:00 A.M: Boys 200m Class 1 Semis
1:30 P.M: Girls High Jump Class 2 FINALS
1:30 P.M: Heptathlon: Girls Long Jump FINALS
1:30 P.M: Girls 400 Meter Dash Class 3 FINALS
1:35 P.M: Boys 400m Class 3 FINALS
1:40 P.M: Girls 400m Class 2 FINALS
1:45 P.M: Boys 400m Class 2 FINALS
1:50 P.M: Girls 400m Class 1 FINALS
1:55 P.M: Boys 400m Class 1 FINALS
2:15 P.M: Boys Shot Put Class 1 FINALS
2:15 P.M: Girls 70m Hurdles Class 4 FINALS
2:25 P.M: Girls 80m Hurdles Class 3 FINALS
2:35 P.M: Girls 100m Hurdles Class 2 FINALS
2:45 P.M: Girls 100m Hurdles Class 1 FINALS
2:45 P.M: Girls Long Jump Class 3 FINALS
3:00 P.M: Boys Boys High Jump Class 2 FINALS
3:05 P.M: Boys 100m Hurdles Class 3 FINALS
3:15 P.M: Boys 110m Hurdles Class 2 FINALS
3:25 P.M: Boys 110m Hurdles Class 1 FINALS
3:45 P.M: Heptathlon: Girls Javelin Throw FINALS
3:50 P.M: Girls 800m Class 3 FINALS
3:55 P.M: Boys 800m Class 3 FINALS
4:00 P.M: Girls 800m Class 2 FINALS
4:05 P.M: Boys 800m Class 2 FINALS
4:10 P.M: Girls 800m Class 1 FINALS
4:15 P.M: Boys 800m Class 1 FINALS
4:35 P.M: Girls 200m Class 4 FINALS
4:40 P.M: Girls 200m Class 3 FINALS
4:45 P.M: Boys 200m Class 3 FINALS
4:50 P.M: Girls 200m Class 2 FINALS
4:55 P.M: Boys 200m Class 2 FINALS
5:00 P.M: Girls 200m Class 1 FINALS
5:05 P.M: Boys 200m Class 1 FINALS
5:05 P.M: Girls Long Jump Class 1 FINALS
5:15 P.M: Boys High Jump Class 1 FINALS
5:15 P.M: Boys Discus Throw Class 2 FINALS
5:35 P.M: Girls 1600 Sprint Medley Open FINALS
5:45 P.M: Boys 1600 Sprint Medley Open FINALS
5:55 P.M: Girls 3000m Open FINALS
6:25 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 4 FINALS
6:30 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 3 FINALS
6:35 P.M: Boys 4x100m Class 3 FINALS
6:40 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 2 FINALS
6:45 P.M: Boys 4x100m Class 2 FINALS
6:50 P.M: Girls 4x100m Class 1 FINALS
6:55 P.M: Boys 4x100m Class 1 FINALS
7:15 P.M: Heptathlon: Girls 800m FINALS
7:20 PM: Boys 5000m Open FINALS
8:00 P.M: Girls 4x400m Open FINALS
8:25 P.M: Boys 4x400m Open FINALS
Results of selected finals:
Girls:
100m Class 4: 1. Dianne Johnson (Holm) 11.90 (record), 2. Christian Williams (Oracabessa) 12.01, 3. Antonika Drummond (Holm) 12.19, 4. Shauna Helps (Wolmer's) 12.53.
100m Class 3: 1. Oshein Erskine (Holm) 11.98, 2. Melissa Williams (St Jago) 12.00, 3. Chanice Bonner 12.07.
100m Class 1: 1. Carrie Russell (Queen's) 11.37, 2. Jura Levy (Vere) 11.42, 3. Gayon Evans (Edwin Allen) 11.58, 4. Audra Segree (Holm) 11.90.
1. Javelin Open: 1. Shakeisha Miller (Holm) 36.88m, 2. Cassandra Bennett 35.56m, 3. Ann-Marie Duffus (Edwin Allen) 34.87m, 4. Kellion Knibb (St Jago) 34.24m, 5. Kemoy Christie (St. Hugh's) 33.19m, 6. Ruth-Ann Forbes (Manchester) 32.34m.
High jump Class One: 1. Rochelle Robb (Convent of Mercy) 1.65m, 2. Kerrima Blake (Vere) 1.65m, 3. Christina Barrett (Holm) 1.65m, 4. Kimeshia Clarke (Camperdown) 1.55m, 5. Kearah Danville (Queen's) 1.55m, Danielle Newman(Holm) 1.55m.
Discus Class Two: 1. Sasha-Gay Marston (Edwin Allen) 38.72m, 2. Monique Henry (Vere) 37.55m, 3. Kerry-Ann Walker (Holm) 36.70m, 4. Fayon Gonzales (St Jago) 36.20m, 5. Samatha Hall (St Jago) 34.93m, 6. Devene Brown (St Hugh's) 34.66m.
Class 3 1500: 1. Carla Thompson (Edwin Allen) 4:50.21, 2. Shevel McDonald (St Jago) 4:50.58, 3. Taska Johnson (Vere) 4:50.73, 4. Sanikeee Gardener (Edwin Allen) 4:52.22, 5. Tanisha Carnagie (Holm) 4:58.69, 6. Stephanie Barrett (Frome) 4:59.30.
Boys
100m Class One: 1. Dexter Lee (Herb Morr) 10.31, Nickel Ashmeade (St Jago) 10.37, 3. Kemar Bailey -Cole (Old harbour) 10.64, 4. Jason Young (William Knibb) 10.74, 5. Khorey Spaldong (St George's) 10.77.
100m Class Two: 1. 1500m Class Two: 1. Waquar DaCosta (JC) 4:06.96, 2. Sanjer Pantry (Kellits) 4:08.43, 3. Duval Ashley (Wolmer's) 4:10.53, 4. Damion Jones (Ferncourt) 4:11.39, 5. Andre Housey (Holm) 4:13.92, 6. Philmour Williams (Holm) 4:19.43.
1500m Class One: 1. Kemoy Campbell 3:48.43, 2. Conroy Crossman (Edwin Allen) 3:56.53, 3. Daren Lindsay (Manchester) 3:57.13, 4. Rory Rhoden (Calabar) 4:03.32, 5. Wayne McIntyre (Holm) 4:03.49, 6. Jermainer Blake (Holm) 4:08.81.
Class Three long jump: 1. Clive Pullen (KC) 6.99m, 2. Nicholas Phynn (JC) 6.81m, 3. Javari Fairclough (Calabar) 6.74m, 4. Antonio Henry (KC) 6.62m, 5. Jevaun Blake (Wolmer's) 6.40m, 6. Maulford Smith (Wolmer's) 6.34m.
Shot put Class 2: 1. Ashina Miller (Calabar) 17.41m (record), 2. Johnathan Lynford (St George's) 15.51m, 3. Shaquille Lewis (JC) 15.39m, 4. Rashaine Byfield (Calabar) 14.83m, 5. Lorenzo Hall (Petersfield) 14.64m, 6. Michael Meikle (KC) 14.12m.
Long jump Class Two: 1. Julian Forte (Wolmer's) 7.25m, 2. Lerone Richards (St. Jago) 7.01m, 3. Akeem Smith (Calabar) 6.88m, 4. Jauvoy Jones (Holm) 6.63m, 5. Keneil Grant (KC) 6.59m, 6. Stefan Fennell (KC) 6.46m.