RAMONE Bailey of Wolmer’s Boys’ saved his best for last before uncorking a gold medal-winning leap of 7.54 metres to retain his Class 1 long jump title at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ Championship at the National Stadium last night.

Trailing Kingston College’s (KC) Keneil Grant from the first round and cheered on by a half-full Grandstand, Bailey dug deep and produced the magical jump.

Grant, who was second with 7.49, fouled on his final attempt as Bailey jumped for joy, then told reporters, “I knew I could do it. I was confident. I have been here before.”

KC, who took second and third with Jerome Wilson, lead the standings after one final with 13 points — four more than defending champions Wolmer’s, with Munro College next on eight.

Except for the theatrics in the long jump, there was little or no drama on a clear but windy day as the contenders advanced easily in their events ahead of today’s second day.

Five more finals are to be contested — the triple jump Open, pole vault Open, high jump Class 3 and discus Class 1 and the second half of the decathlon Open.

Earlier, Julian Forte of Wolmer’s started the defence of his Class One 200m title by winning his heat in 21.49 seconds running into a 4.1 m/s headwind. All the contenders advanced.

Forte’s teammate A-Shawni Mitchell, Odail Todd of Green Island, Jazeel Murphy of Bridgeport High, Carifta Trials U-20 winner Kemarly Brown of STETHS and Munro’s Delano Williams made it into today’s semis.

With the absence of Jamaica College’s (JC) Rohan Walker and St Jago’s Kevaughn Rattray, who picked out in the heats of the Class 2 event, Munro’s Kaneil Harrison, JC’s Deshawn Jackson, Denval Daley of St Elizabeth Tech, Gawain Williams of Herbert Morrison and Kadeesh Willis of St Jago are the top contenders.

Michael O’Hara, who ran 23.45 seconds into a 4.0 m/s headwind, was the fastest qualifier in Class 3, while Rojay Ottey of Munro, Jordan James of Wolmer’s and Devaughn Baker of JC were among the top contenders to advance.

Meanwhile, National Junior record-holder Traves Smikle of Calabar and teammate Fredrick Dacres easily qualified for this afternoon’s final of the Boys’ Class 1 discus.

Smikle, who is expected to break the one-year-old mark of 58.86m set by another Calabar athlete, Chad Wright, threw 54.89m yesterday after consistently throwing over 60m all season.

Two athletes each from Munro, JC, KC and St Jago, along with one each from Wolmer’s and Edwin Allen, also advanced to the final set to start at 5:10 pm.

Defending champion Kevin White of Holmwood leads the qualifiers in the Class 1 800m, winning his first round heat in 1:56.29, while last year’s Class 2 winner, Brian Smith of Clarendon College was next in 1:57.65.

JC’s Waquar daCosta struggled in his heat to qualify with the 10th fastest time, while Petersfield’s Osahen Turner, silver medallist in Class 2 last year and a Carifta Games representative, was 21st.

Last year’s Class 2 bronze medalist Kevin Robinson of Foga Road was the third fastest qualifier in 2:01.40, behind KC’s Chad Antoine Miller, 2:00.85 and Cornwall’s Ricordo McKenzie, 2:01.23.