Reigning champions Edwin Allen are well on the way to a third consecutive title after closing day four of the 106th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships in a commanding position at the National Stadium yesterday.

After 20 finals Edwin Allen High have amassed 142 points, followed by Hydel High on 102.50 points, and St Jago (89.50).

Many-time champions Holmwood Technical (68) are left back in fourth, with Vere Technical High on 58 points in fifth in the girls’ category.

The National Stadium was abuzz with excitement as the ‘big guns’ exploded down the track in the Class One 100-metre dash, which Patrice Moody of Edwin Allen won in a time of 11.49 seconds in a negative 0.2 metres per second wind speed. The St Jago pair of Nelda Huggins (11.67s) and Shanice Reid (11.68s) copped the minor places.

However, Kimone Shaw of St Jago High brought the large crowd to its feet when she clocked a blistering 11.40 seconds in a positive 0.8 metres per second wind speed to win the Class Two dash. Shaw lowered the seven-year-old mark of 11.46 seconds set in 2008 by Jura Levy.

Khamoy Farquharson (11.65s) of Edwin Allen and Shaneil English (11.68s), also of St Jago, were second and third, respectively.

The Class Three dash was won by Edwin Allen’s Kevona Davis in a time of 11.63 seconds in a negative 0.1 metres per second wind speed as she blew past Julien Alfred (11.77s) of St Catherine High in the last quarter of the race. Shanique Rowe (12.04s), also of Edwin Allen, took the bronze.

Sashieka Steele of Holmwood Technical captured the Class Four title in a time of 11.91 seconds with a light tail wind of 0.9 metres per second, ahead of Gabrielle Matthews (12.01s) of Hydel and Bethany Bridge (12.31s) of Edwin Allen.

Meanwhile, Junelle Bromfield of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Asshanni Robb of Edwin Allen were involved in a

photo-finish in the Class One 1,500-metre final, sharing the same time of 4:40.77 minutes.

Bromfield led the event from start to finish, but Robb, with her late running style, closed rapidly as the two matched strides

towards the line. In the end, Bromfield was declared the winner ahead of Robb. Teresha Jacobs of Edwin Allen was third in 4:44.41 minutes.

Britnie Dixon of Vere Technical copped the Class Two title in a time of 4:38.32 minutes, with Monifa Green (4:42.96) of Hydel and Chrissani May (4:44.66) of Holmwood Technical taking the minor places.

The Class Three equivalent was won by another favourite, Cemore Donald of Edwin Allen in a time of 4:44.82 minutes, ahead of Shantay Chamberlain (4:47.03) of Mavis Bank and Manchester’s Britney Brown (4:49.23).

Edwin Allen’s Shannon Kalawan won the 400-metre hurdles Open title in a time of 56.41 seconds, ahead of Holmwood Technical’s Nicolee Foster (56.69s) and Andrenette Knight (56.98s) of St Jago.

Earlier in the first final of the day, STETHS copped their first gold medal of the championships courtesy of Sahjay Stevens, who justified her favouritism in the javelin Open.

Stevens achieved a mark of 43.60 metres to finish ahead of Devia Brown (42.52m) of Hydel and Immaculate Conception’s Tyefah Saunders (38.59m).

Samara Spencer of Hydel High finished tops in the

Flow-sponsored triple jump Open with a leap of 13.02 metres ahead of Tissanna Hickling (12.96m) of St Jago and Danielle Spence (12.86m) of Wolmer’s.

Aiko Jones of Wolmer’s Girls’ closed out a fine double-gold medal-winning performance after she finished tops in the Class Two discus throw final with a launch of 43.37 metres. Kimone Reid of Edwin Allen was second with a throw of 39.54 metres, with Kerrayne Fray (37.15m) of St Andrew taking the bronze.

Meanwhile, Shantae Foreman earned Excelsior High’s second gold medal of the meet when she cleared the bar at 1.60m to win the Class Four high jump final. Zoe Shaw (1.55m) was second with Bianca Samuels of Hydel; Jamara Scott of Buff Bay; Amelia Davis of Wolmer’s Girls’, and Daniel Hinds also of Excelsior High in a four-way tie for bronze, all at 1.50m.

The Class Three discus final was won by Marie Forbes of Vere Technical with a mark of 37.34 metres, and her schoolmate Natsuya Chance (33.67m) took the silver, while Ashanti Wright (33.29m) of Excelsior claimed the bronze.

However, it was Britany Anderson of Vere Technical who got the day off to a blistering start when she cracked the record in the semi-finals of the Class Three 80-metre hurdles.

Anderson, running in semi-final one, sped to a fast 11.10 seconds in a 1.4 metres per second trail wind to lower the previous mark of 11.13 seconds set in 2013 by Rushelle Burton.

Codesha Lewis (11.38s) also of Vere Technical High and Crystal Morrison (11.42s) of St Jago are the main contenders heading into the final.

Rushelle Burton of Camperdown High headlines the qualifiers for today’s final of the Class One 100-metre hurdles with a time of 14.02 seconds, followed by the Holmwood Technical pair of Nicolee Foster (14.15s) and Gabrielle McDonald (14.39s).

Manchester High’s Sidney Marshall and Daszay Freeman lead the finalists in the Class Two equivalent, both with a time of 13.75

seconds. Amoi Brown (13.82s) of Vere Technical High is also expected to be there in a medal position.

There were no surprises in the Class One 400-metre semi-finals as medal contenders Junelle Bromfield (52.92s), Ashley Williams (53.73s) and Shannon Kalawan (54.74s) all advanced to the final.