EXLCR’s Harrison cops decathlon gold in record performance
MAURICE Harrison gave Excelsior High their first gold medal when he won the boys’ 14-19 decathlon open with a a record 6,471 points at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
The gruelling 10-discipline event saw the top four athletes getting past the two-year-old record of 6,107 set by Darran Hunter of Kingston College in 2012.
Harrison, who was second last year, made amends when he racked up 6,471 points to win ahead of Shamar Morrison of Jamaica College (6,383 points) and Kingston College’s Shaquille Shaw (6,268).
Calabar’s Shakiel Chatto, who seemed to have had the event won after six events, was relegated to a disappointing fourth with 6,123 points. The top six is rounded off by Orelle Bulgin (5,607) of Cornwall College and Amaudo Oconner (5,518) of Buff Bay.
The 14 remaining athletes’ first event of day three was the 110 metre hurdles, which saw Morrison winning section one in a time of 15.26 seconds ahead of Godfrey Stewart’s Asani Hylton (17.44) and Stavin Brown (19.21) of Muschett High.
Section two was won by Chattoo (14.62) ahead of Shaw (14.69) and Harrison (15.47).
The discus throw was their next challenge and that was easily won by Chattoo with a throw of 41.29 metres with Harrison (36.47m) and Morrison (34.57m) finishing second and third, respectively.
The pole vault was won by Shaw with a leap of 3.55 metres, ahead of Harrison 3.45 and Morrison 3.15.
Harrison then bounced back to win the Javelin when he threw 49.45 metres to beat Bulgin, who threw 47.76 metres and Morrison with 47.55 metres.
The 1,500 metres was their final event and that was won by Stavin Brown of Muschett High in 4:35.17 minutes ahead of Mushey Lee Dunkley of Thompson Town (4:35.25) and Devar Wellington of Bog Walk (4:38.70).
There were 15 competitors who started the event, but that was cut to 14 after Jordain Waite of St Jago, who was in second position at one point, was forced to pull out due to a hamstring injury after the long jump event.