World junior 400m hurdles champion Jaheel Hyde opened his intercollegiate career with a cruising 50.56-second clocking in the final on day one of the two-day NCB-sponsored Intercollegiate Track and Field Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

But while Hyde was comfortable in victory, defending male and female champions the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), will have ground to make up on today’s final day if they are to retain their titles.

After seven events scored, GC Foster led with a combined score of 39 points, followed by UWI on 34 points and UTech on 32 points. Mico University (three) and Portmore Community College (PCC) on two points complete the top five.

Hyde, representing University of the West Indies (UWI), went out hard and comfortably covered the field on the backstretch, before eventually being pressed by Marcel Murray, of GC Foster College approaching the final curve.

However, Hyde held his composure and moved away from Murray who clipped a hurdle to easily take the top spot. Jamar McNaughton (51.74sec) also of UWI closed well for second with Murray (52.14sec) relegated to third.

Janieve Russell (UTech) successfully defended her 400-metre hurdles title with a commanding victory in 56.76 seconds. Rushelle Clayton (57.81sec) UWI improved her bronze last year to silver, while Rhonda Whyte (58.36sec) of GC Foster College was relegated into third.

Former national champion Oshane Bailey clocked a season’s best on his way to topping the men’s 100m final. Bailey quickly accelerated from the 20-metre mark to move away from the field after an even start to clock in at 10.15 seconds in a positive wind speed of 0.2 metres per second.

Kavean Smith of UTech was second in 10.21 seconds, with Collin King (10.36sec) also of GC Foster College in third.

Jura Levy clocked 11.38 seconds in a negative 0.5 metres per second wind speed to win the women’s 100m final in a close finish ahead of Gayan Evans (11.92sec) of GC Foster College and Christania Williams (11.97sec) of UTech.

Meanwhile, Samantha James won the women’s 800m final in a time of 2:11.29 minutes, ahead of the GC Foster College pair of Danielle James (2:15.83) and Roshea Burrell (2:18.59). The men’s equivalent was won by a gutsy Chadoye Dawson (1:52.67) of Knox College, who staved off a late challenge from Kegan Campbell (1:53.96) and Rory Rhoden (1:52.72) both of GC Foster College.

Earlier, Fedrick Dacres of UWI finished tops in the men’s shot put with a heave 17.98 metres, followed by Demar Gayle (17.61m) of GC Foster College and Alec-Vern Longmore (16.08m) of UTech.

The men’s triple jump was won by Aubrey Allen of GC Foster College with a leap of 16.09 metres, just outside the long-standing record of 16.11 metres set by Kenneth Sylvester in 2005. Tajay Gayle of UTech was second with a mark of 15.78 metres, with teammate Demar Whyte (14.61m) in third.

David Hall of GC Foster College won the men’s high jump with a height of 2.04 metres, followed by Carlington Moulton (2.01m) of UWI with Shevaughn Dawson (1.89m) of Exed Community College in third.

On the women’s side, Todea-Kay Willis of UWI won the women’s long jump final with a leap of 6.21 metres ahead of Jessica Noble (6.06m) of UTech and Kerrie-Ann Francis (5.64) also of UWI taking the bronze.

Olivia Leckford of GC Foster College topped the women’s javelin throw with a mark of 43.26 metres, ahead of teammate Taleika Nelson (40.14m) and Isheka Binns (39.91m) of UWI.

Meanwhile, former Papine High standout Tiffany James, representing Mico University, clocked in 53.87 seconds to headline the qualifiers for today’s final of the women’s 400m.

James, who produced a bronze medal performance at the Carifta Games in Grenada last weekend, will be joined by teammate Dawnalee Lonely (54.87s) and UTech’s Russell (55.27s).

Former Kingston College star Twayne Crooks of UTech and Demish Gaye of GC Foster College headline what is expected to be an explosive field in the men’s equivalent after both comfortably advanced with a similar time of 48.02 seconds. Travane Morrison (48.46s) of UTech and Martin Manley, who was very easy in 52.61 seconds, are also expected to be in contention.

The women’s sprint medley and 4X400m relays will be run as straight finals due to the limited number of teams.

Also on today will be the 100m hurdles and 110m hurdles, 200m, 1,500m, 5,000m, and the 4X100 and 4X400m relay finals. The women high jump, triple jump, and shot put, as well as the men’s long jump, discus and javelin throw.

Action is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm.