Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer

In one of the closest finishes ever in the history of Boys and Girls' Championships, Kingston College (KC) dethroned defending champions Calabar by 1.5 points to lift the winning trophy for the 31st time at the National Stadium last night.

The championships, witnessed by a packed house of more than 25,000 spectators, went down to the final event, the boys' 4x400m.

Calabar finished third and KC fifth, the latter earning the required five points to keep their rivals at bay. The event was won by St Jago in 3:12.44.

Final points

Final points standings (top five): 1 - KC 223.50, 2 - Calabar 222, 3 - Jamaica College 154, 4 - Wolmer's 144 and 5 - St Jago 122.5.

However, while KC and Calabar were battling it out down to the final event, the boys' 4x400m last night, Holmwood had no problems in romping to their seventh straight title, leading with 349.5 points over Vere (172.5) and Edwin Allen (166).

Holmwood, who entered the day on 160 points, had an impressive start, thanks to Chris-Ann Gordon's breathtaking 400m performance.

The performance, arguably the best of the meet, saw Gordon, only 14 years old, destroying the field, which included Carifta Under-17 champion Shericka Jackson of Vere, to win in 52.68 seconds.

Gordon, who won the 100m and 200 metres in Class Four last year, ran away with the 400 and 800 metres in her first Class Three year. She ran 2:13.45 for victory in the 800m.

,b>Battle in relays

But while Holmwood were cruising, KC and Calabar were locked in a tight battle going into the sprint relays.

However, despite Calabar's dominance in outscoring KC, 28 to 26 points, the latter, with 9.5 points in the Class One high jump, kept their opponents at bay.

Going into the 4x400m it was very close, as KC led with 218.5 to Calabar's 214. Earlier, Calabar, who started the final day on 79 points to trail KC with 106, were led back into contention by Ramone McKenzie and Ricardo Powell, first and third in Class One 400m. Calabar picked up 17 points in all classes in the 400m to their rivals' nine.

However, KC kept in front by dominating the sprint hurdles. Led by the team's co-captain Keiron Stewart, who took the Class One 110m hurdles in 13.79 seconds, and Stefan Fennell (13.94) and Lenmar Wilson (14.14), who finished one-two in Class Two, they led Calabar 147 to 115 going into the 200m events.

Female winners

As expected, Calabar, with Class One winner McKenzie (20.66) and Oshane Bailey (20.99) for second, outscored KC in the 200 metres, 17 to 10 points.

Earlier, in the girls' side, Holmwood dominated the sprint hurdles with two wins.

Osheen Erskine (11.36) in Class Three (80m hurdles) and Yanique Thompson in Class Four 70m hurdles (10.60) held an unassailable 112.5 points advantage, 225.5 to Edwin Allen's 113 and Vere 97.5 at this point.

Edwin Allen and Vere were left battling for second. But at the end of the 200m finals, it was Vere who surged ahead, 149.5 to Edwin Allen's 146.

SELECTED RESULTS FRO FINAL DAY OF BOYS & GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS

BOYS

400m Class 1

1. Ramone Mckenzie (Calabar) 46.88; 2. Dwayne Extol (Wolmer's) 47.11 3. 3. Ricardo Powell (Calabar) 47.86; 4. Adolphus Nevers (St. Jago) 48.62; 5.Jermaine Gayle (Vere) 49.07; 6. A-Shawni Mitchell (Wolmer's) 50.76; 7. Rolando Berch (Kingston College) 58.07

400m Class 2

1. Jermaine Fyffe (St George's) 48.43; 2. Rolando Reid (Munro)48.76; 3. Jovan Williams (St Jago) 48.90; 4. Jevere Bell (Seaforth) 49.11; 5. Earl Grant (Jamaica College) 49.77; 6. Omar Johnson (STETHS) 50.00; 7. Orwell Maylor (Wolmer's) 50.27; 8. Omari McDonald (St Jago) 51.18.

400m Class 3

1. Ahk Bowes-Savage (St George's) 50.16; 2. Lennox Williams (Manchester) 50.78; 3. Keneil Harrison (Munro) 51.02; 4. Alwayne Pitter (Edwin Allen) 51.47; 5. Tevin Murphy (Jamaica College) 52.18; 6. Romaine Headman (Jamaica College) 52.19; 7. Akeem McClean (Calabar) 52.67; 8. Brandon Stern (Wolmer's) 52.78.

Shot Put Class 1

1.Randale Watson (Calabar) 17.28m; 2. Odaine Chisolm (St Jago) 16.74m; 3.Chad Wright (Calabar) 16.44; 4. Damion Johnson (Jamaica College) 15.75m; 5. Omar Bryan (Munro) 15.60m; 6. Michael Cameron (St George's) 15.46m; 7. Cornielo McIntosh (Petersfield High) 15.30m, 8. Oshane Harris (Kingston College)15.22m.

110m Hurdles Class 3

1. Davin Dennis (STETHS) 13.79; 2. Clive Pullen (Kingston College) 13.85; 3. Kemar Williams (Calabar) 13.96; 4. Javed Campbell (St.Jago) 14.00; 5 .Sadeki Street (Jamaica College) 14.02; 6. Twaine Gordon (Ardenne) 14.44; 7. Romaine Blair (Kingston College) 14.39; 8. Dwight Terrelong (St Jago) 14.92.

110m Hurdles Class 2

1. Stefan Fennell (Kingston College) 13.94; 2. Lemmar Wilson (Kingston College) 14.14 3. Patrick Campbell (Munro) 14.33; 4. Kyle Robinson (Jamaica College) 14.73; 5. Deveraux Senior (Wolmer's) 15.01; 6. Travis Drummond (Calabar) 16.42; 7. Kevoy Campbell (St. Jago) 16.56.

800m Class 2

1.Waquar Dacosta (Jamaica College) 1:57.44; 2. Earl Grant (Jamaica College) 1:58.94;3. San-J Powell (Holmwood) 1:59.00; 4. Sanjer Pantry (Kellits) 2:00.06; 5.Shavon Barnes (Camperdown) 2:01.41; 6. Duval Ashley (Wolmer's) 2:01.98;7. Geovanni West (Kingston College) 2:02.69; 8. Andre Hare (Kingston College) 2:05.92.

800m Class 3

1. Kevon Robinson (Foga Road) 2:02.6; 2.Dominic Powell (Kingston College) 2:02.65, 3. Alex Willis (Morant Bay) 2:05.21;4. Romaine Headman (Jamaica College) 2:05.37; 5. Levarr Dunchie (Munro) 2:06.19; 6. Richardo Campbell (Camperdown) 2:09.76; 7. Samudale Gayle (Christiana) 2:12.08; 8. Joel McEwan (Tacius Golding) 2:12.42.

GIRLS

400m Class 1

1. Jodi-Ann Muir (Wolmer's) 53.45; 2. Latoya McDermott (St. Andrew High) 53.50; 3. Amoy Blake (Edwin Allen) 54.58; 4. Denesha Morris (Manchester High) 54.83; 5. Samalia Cousins (Vere) 54.88 6. Tamara Keane (Holmwood) 55.32; 7. Kerri-Kaye Lamb (Oberlin) 57.54; 8. Amoy Blake (Vere) 58.50.

400m Class 2

1. Petra Fanty (Holmwood) 54.24; 2. Danielle Dowie (Wolmer's) 54.34; 3. Antonique Campbell (Herbert Morrison) 54.36; 4. Shavine Hodges (Herbert Morrison) 54.85; 5. Chantel Adams (Manchester) 55.15; 6. Samantha Woodburn (Holmwood) 55.23; 7. Moya McKenzie (Bellefield) 56.21.

400m Class 3

1. Chris-Ann Gordon (Holmwood) 52.68; 2. Shericka Jackson (Vere) 53.13; 3. Kadejah Haye (St. Jago) 56.25; 4. Kessi-Ann Brown (Wolmer's) 57.87; 5.Natricia Cuff (Holmwood) 58.59; 6. Nicole Martin (Knockalva) 58.79; 7. Vanessa Crooks (Immaculate) 59.13; 8. Shareen Gordon (Guy's Hill) 59.21.

70m Hurdles Class 4

1. Yanique Thompson (Holmwood) 10.60; 2. Peta-Gay Williams (Vere) 10.78; 3. Tishanna Monteith (Vere) 10.93; 4. Kerri-Ann Francis (Immaculate) 10.93; 5.Tracey-Ann May (Edwin Allen) 11.15; 6. Latavia Coombs (Holmwood) 11.20; Georgiana Gordon (St. Jago) 11.48; Jodi-Kaye Peterkin (Wolmer's)11.48.