Campbell smashes 5000m mark at Kirkvine

BY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, January 17, 2010

REIGNING Carifta Games gold medallist Kemoy Campbell sounded his intentions for the 2010 season by posting 15 minutes 16.6 seconds to win the 5000 metres on grass at the 29th JAAA/PUMA Development meet at Kirkvine in Manchester yesterday.

Campbell, the National Junior 1500 metre record-holder, shaved 16.6 seconds off the Senior men's mark of 15:33.5 set by Windalco's Michael Tomlin in 2002 and a massive 1 min 11.9 seconds off the high school record of 16:28.5 done by Lorone Lawson of Holmwood in 2002.

The closest finisher to Campbell was Lorenzso Wedderburn of the Lion Heart Club with 15:19.8.

Campbell now looks set to easily retain the 1500m and 5000m titles he secured at Champs last year, at the 100th staging from March 24-27.

There were other impressive performances from National Junior representatives Natoya Goule of Manchester High and Donahue Williams of Kingston College in the 3000m and 800m, respectively, at press time last night.

Goule, a many-time gold medallist at the Carifta Games, returned 10 minutes 55.9 seconds to easily win the 3000.

The Jerry Holness-coached athlete, who is the reigning 800m and 1500m champion at Champs, defeated closest rival Makola Josephs of Edwin Allen (11:24.4) by more than 29 seconds. Stacy-Ann Bell of GC Foster placed third in 11:30.4.

Williams was also an easy winner in the Class One

Boys 800m in 1:58.9

ahead of Holmwood's Kevin White, 1:59.4.

Candeise Wilson of Holmwood was the most impressive performer on the girls' side in the half-mile event, winning the Class Three race in 2:24.2.

Meanwhile, the meet organisers honoured five persons for their contribution to sport in Central Jamaica. They were former national coach Glen Mills and Michael Dyke, who has been at Edwin Allen for more than a decade; administrators Hamlin Pagon and Paula Miller-Foster, as well as world 200m finalist Anneisha McLaughlin.