Calabar High’s Federick Dacres and Gleneve Grange of Holmwood Technical walked away with the Most Outstanding Performer trophies at the Wata/Jamaica College Invitational Track and Field Awards ceremony yesterday at the school’s grounds.

Dacres, the World Youth discus champion, had the highest number of points scored by any individual with 26 points.

The tall Dacres threw a record 60m to win the discus Class One at the meet then followed that up with a creditable 17.70m for second-place in the shot putt.

Dacres, who totally dominated his peers, stepped up into the senior ranks in the discus and with the heavier disc, threw 51.82 m.

Meanwhile, Grange, competing in Class Two, shattered the shot put record with a heave of 13.82m, the same as the Class One record breaker Kellion Knibb.

Grange secured 20 points after finishing second in the Class Two discus, seventh in the sprint hurdles and ninth in the long jump, showing good all round ability.

A total of 1,666 athletes from 89 teams competed at the 19th staging of the event in which eight records were broken and one equalled. Incidentally, all the records were in field events.

Joffia Johnson-Bell, brand manager of title sponsor Wata, said, her organisation was honoured to be title sponsor knowing they are playing their part in the development of track and field in Jamaica.

Said Johnson-Bell: “Meets like this serve to unearth the talent in Jamaica, allowing the youth to recognise that they too have talent to be the next Yohan Blake.”

“As the JC track meet is the first on the calendar of meets for the year, it holds this position not only on the calendar but for us here at Wata. Wata has always been marketed on a sports and lifestyle platform, based on hydration properties. This partnership has been mutually beneficial and we aim to continue a long standing partnership,” said Johnson-Bell.

Meanwhile Rohan Wong, vice-principal of JC, while recognising the sponsor, Wata, said this is a meet that produces excellence at a school that is committed to excellence.

“We look forward to their continued support as sponsors and looking forward to next year’s staging of a bigger and better meet,” said Wong.