Youth Olympic 200m champion Natalliah Whyte of St Jago High opened her season in fine style lowering the Class One 300m record from 40.55 to 40.22 seconds at the Wesley Powell Invitational Track Meet held at the Excelsior High on Saturday.

Whyte’s record was one of 11 established at the meet that kick-started the high school track and field season. Whyte’s teammate, Shanice Reid, whose 2014 record was erased, was third fastest overall with 41.51 in the time final. Tissanna Hickling, another St Jago athlete, was second quickest with 41.18 seconds.

Jahari Taylor of Wolmer’s Boys’ ran 1:32.9 minutes to set a new record in the Boys’ Class Three 600m, while Nathan Brown of Excelsior High did 1:24.6 to lower the Class One record.

Milliard Brown of Progressive stopped the clock at 1:22.3 minutes in establishing a new record in the Men’s 20-years-and-over 600m event. Keinann Pryce of Excelsior Community College also went under the previous record of 1:24.75 minutes, when he clocked 1:24.12.

St Jago’s A and C teams both went below the 4x300m relay open record of 2:50.17. St Jago A won in 2:47.72 minutes ahead of St Jago C with 2:47.98 minutes. Excelsior A was third in 2:48.98 minutes in, also dipping below the old record.

However, Excelsior A won the Men’s 4x300m in record fashion, stopping the clock at 2:28.48 minutes, well below their own record of 2:29.56 minutes which was established last year.

There were four records in the field events, all coming in the high jumps. Ramona Hylton won the Girls’ Class Three high jump with a leap of 1.60m, the same as Kaliah Jones of Excelsior High. Both went above the previous record of 1.55m, established by Shiann Salmon of Hydel High in 2012.

Lorean Murray of St Andrew High broke the Class Two record with a leap of 1.65m. The previous record was established in 2012 by Jody Peterkin. Kelly-Ann Downer equalled the Girls’ Class One record with 1.45m.

Astley Davis of Camperdown High did 1.70m to win the Boys’ Class Three high jump in record fashion, while Asani Hylton of Rhodes Hall equalled Carey Gordon of Holy Trinity’s record of 1.90m to win the Class One event.

Meanwhile, Kiara Grant of the Convent of Mercy (Alpha) won the Class Three 15m in 19.64 seconds, ahead of St Lucian Alfred Julienne (representing St Catherine High) in 20.14 seconds in Heat Two. Jada McBean of Wolmer’s won Heat Eight in 20.06 to be second overall.

The outstanding Kimone Shaw of St Jago was beaten into second spot in Heat One of the Girls’ Class Two 150m by Terresha Walcott of Vere Technical, who did 19.82 seconds. Shaw clocked 19.99 seconds, and in fact was fourth overall. Amoi Brown of Vere Technical won Heat Two in 19.79. Tiercecia Walcott, Terresha’s twin sister, won heat three in 19.83 seconds.

Rushell Burton, formerly of St Andrew High but now representing Camperdown High, won the Girls’ Class One 150m in 19.21 seconds. She finished ahead of Tissanna Hickling of St Jago in 19.42 seconds.

Meanwhile, three persons were honoured at the 12th staging of the meet. They were Dr Carol Long, Garth Gayle and Allison Cowan-Hall.

Dr Long, an Excelsior alumnus, was honoured for her long and dedicated service to the sport of track and field. She is a lecturer in physical education with an emphasis on early childhood play at Mico University.

Gayle is the general secretary of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association and was the first meet director of the Wesley Powell Invitational. He has served as an official for many years.

Cowan-Hall, another Excelsior past student, was a triple-sprint gold medalist at the 1966 Girls’ Champs. She won the 100-yard, 220-yard and sprint relay events.