Many-time champions Kingston College (KC) grabbed an early lead after two finals at the 2016 Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

Up to press time, with the 2,000m steeplechase left, KC were on top with 23 points, four ahead of Jamaica College (JC) with 19 points, while defending champions Calabar High were on 10 points, with Excelsior High on nine points.

Yashawn Hamilton won the first final of the meet, capturing the Class Two long jump with a leap of 7.01 metres; his teammate Shacquille Lowe finished sixth with 6.76m for 12 points for KC. Calabar garnered their 10 points following Kristoffe Clifford’s 6.87m for third, and Michael Stephens’ 6.79m for fifth.

JC picked up seven points courtesy of a fourth and seventh-place finish by Safin Wills (6.80m) and Micah Wellington (6.76m). Joel Morgan of Excelsior High was second with 6.95m.

Hamilton leapt 6.42m, 6.47 and 7.01m before switching to compete in the Class Two 200m, which he won in 22.17 seconds. When he returned to the long jump pit, none of his competitors was able to surpass him and he skipped on his next three jumps.

In the Class One long jump, there was no stopping the outstanding Obrien Waysome of JC, who easily won with 7.50m. Shown-d Thompson of St Jago was second with 7.24m.

KC, who were projected to get only four points, picked up 11 points courtesy of Shammawi Wellington, who leapt 7.23m for third, and Dameon Creary, who surprised with 7.16m for fourth.

In the morning session, Calabar’s Warren Barrett Jr threw 49.25m and topped all qualifiers into the Class One discus event ahead of Kino Dunkley of Munro College with 48.53m. Kevin Nedrick of Petersfield threw 46.29, while JC’s Vashon McCarthy did 44.45m.

In the 800m, Calabar suffered a massive blow as red hot favourite Kevroy Venson finished at the back of the pack in heat one in 2:13.66 minutes. A far cry from his season’s best of 2:05.28. It was later reported that he was suffering from influenza. The race was won by Jordan Anderson of Donald Quarrie in 2:08.44 minutes.

Calabar’s other entrant, Rivaldo Marshall, also failed to qualify, finishing down the track in heat four with 2:13.40 minutes. St Jago High’s Jevana Edwards won heat two and was quickest into the next round with 2:06.23 minutes, while KC’s Shanthomi Brown clocked 2:06.51 minutes in winning heat four easily.

In Class Two, favourite Keenan Lawrence of St Jago was easily through to the next round, winning heat one in 1:58.21 minutes. But it was Dwight Mason of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) who was quickest with 1:57.40. KC’s Tarees Rhoden, with 1:57.86, was also safely through from heat two.

In what is shaping to be one of the races of the Champs, the Class One 800m saw all the big guns safely through to the semi-final. Shevan Parks of Bellefield High eased to 1:56.09 in winning heat one, but was fourth quickest behind Rogay Granston of Holmwood Technical, who exerted more energy in capturing heat five in 1:55.29 ahead of KC’s Lerone Bowden with 1:55.42. St Jago’s Leon Clarke, the World Youth 800m finalist, took heat three in 1:55.30 minutes. The super-talented Jauavney James of STETHS also looked easy with 1:56.79 minutes from heat six.