Stars sizzle at Digicel Grand Prix Athletics Championships finale
Kevona Davis of Edwin Allen can do no wrong. This special talent once again proved just that as she stormed her way to an exhilarating 23.32 seconds in the girls’ Under-17 200m at the finale of the Digicel Grand Prix Athletics Championships – the GC Foster Classics at the National Stadium yesterday.
Davis, who only a few days ago clocked 23.56 seconds in a very strong head wind, returned to lower that time in an even more impressive fashion. Gabrielle Matthews (23.78s) of Hydel and Excelsior High’s Ackera Nugent (24.63s) were second and third, respectively.
The supreme performance of the 15-year-old Davis placed her among nine record breakers set to pocket $25,000 and also placed her team in pole position to defend their Grand Prix title.
At the end of the meet, Edwin Allen retained their title after registering 76 points, well ahead of Excelsior High on 54 points, followed by Holmwood on 52, and Hydel and St Jago on 40 points each.
On the boys’ side, St Jago edged ahead of Calabar High with 84 points, a point and a half ahead of Calabar, with Kingston College next on 60 points, followed by Petersfield on 45 and St Elizabeth Technical High School on 33.
The winning schools overall will take home $1 million towards their sports programme, while the second and third-placed schools will be awarded $500,000 and $200,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, Sachin Dennis of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) followed suit in the boys’ Under-17 200m event clocking a wind-aided 21.10 seconds, which would have lowered the record of 21.16 seconds held by Dejour Russell of Calabar had the wind speed been legal. He won ahead of Jeremy Farr (21.68s) of Wolmer’s and Antonio Watson (21.75s) of Petersfield.
As expected, the phenomenal Christopher Taylor of Calabar topped the boys’ Under-20 half-lap event in a new personal best of 20.59 seconds in a trail wind of 0.8 metres per second, just outside the record of 20.40 seconds held by Nigel Ellis.
Aneka Brissett of St Jago (24.16s) won the girls’ Under-20 event pipping Hydel’s Isheena Belnavis (24.17s) on the line, with Ockera Myrie (24.42s) of Petersfield back in third.
Two records fell in the 100m, both belonging to Holmwood Technical’s Sashieka Steele and Michae Harriott, who coincidentally clocked a similar time of 11.50 seconds in the Under-17 and Under-20 events, respectively.
Steele, running in a positive 1.8 metres per second wind speed, lowered the previous Under-20 record of 11.74 set last year by Kiara Grant, while Harriott lowered the previous Under-17 time of 11.65 set by Patrice Moody last year.
Calabar’s Michael Stephens clocked a fast 10.39 seconds to win the boys’ Under-20 event, while pushing through a slight muscle strain close to the line.
Earlier, St Jago’s tall and smooth-striding Joanne Reid was fast and strong on her way to a new record of 54.49 seconds in the girls’ Under-17 400m, lowering the previous time of 54.99 seconds set last year by Sanique Walker of Vere Technical.
Janeille Josephs of St Andrew High came on strongly for second in 54.78 seconds, followed by Daniella Deer (55.03s) of Holmwood Technical.
Jevaughn Powell of Edwin Allen left the field struggling to keep pace, on his way to posting 48.08 seconds in the boys’ Under-17 400m, ahead of Calabar’s Niquaine Henry (48.91s) and Shanthamoi Brown (49.21s) of Kingston College.
Stacey-Ann Williams of STETHS finished tops in the girls’ Under-20 400m event in a fast time of 52.62 seconds, just outside the record of 52.42 seconds set by Junelle Bromfield last year.
Williams won ahead of Holmwood Technical’s Nicolee Foster (53.56s), who was favoured to take the event. Kimorla Mushette (54.88s) of Edwin Allen was third.
Bridgeport’s special talent Malik Smith took the boys’ Under-20 event in an even 47.00 seconds, staving off a strong challenge from the Calabar duo of Anthony Carpenter (47.28s) and Shemar Chambers (47.44s).
Meanwhile, Cemore Donald of Edwin Allen lowered her own record of 2:10.09 set last year, when she raced away in the straight to win the girls’ Under-17 800m in 2:08.80. Shaquena Foote (2:10.38) of Petersfield and Rushana Dwyer (2:13.76) also of Edwin Allen took the runners-up spots.
The much-anticipated clash between Calabar’s Kimar Farquharson and Arymanya Rodgers of Kingston College in the Under-17 800m did not materialise, as the former proved too strong and won the event in 1:55.66 minutes.
Rushane Fullerton (1:56.79) of Munro College was second with Rodgers (1:56.93) having to settle for third.
After playing second fiddle to Holmwood Technical’s Chrissani May for most of the season, Charokee Young of Hydel turned the tables in commanding fashion for the girls’ Under-20 800m. Young sprinted away in the straight to win in 2:10.08, ahead of May (2:12.07) and Abigail Shaafe (2:20.12) of St Mary High.
Ackeem Colley of Rusea’s High produced a late burst to take the boys’ Under-20 event in 1:52.80, just outside the record of 1:52.20 held by Tyrese Reid of Spot Valley. Reid (1:53.44) was beaten into second, with Jamaica College’s Ken Reyes (1:53.71) finishing third.
Lushane Wilson of St Jago equalled the Grand Prix record and registered a new personal best in the boys’ Under-20 high jump when he cleared the bar at 2.18m.
The IAAF World Youth Championships and Commonwealth Youth Games finalist bettered his previous personal best mark of 2.15 metres and is justifiably listed among the favourites for the event at the upcoming ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships with his joint world junior leading clearance.
The outstanding Lamara Distin of Vere Technical cleared the bar at 1.80m on her way to victory in the Under-20 high jump, bettering the previous height of 1.70m set by Shania Ingram last year.
Kingston College’s Shaquille Lowe won the Under-17 long jump with a record leap of 7.09m, bettering his own mark of 7.05m set at the Corporate Area meet a few weeks back.
Lowe won ahead of teammate Wayne Pinnock (7.03m) and David Tomlinson (6.81m) of Green Island High.
Kevin Nedrick of Petersfield continued his rich vein of form in the field when he threw a mark of 56.48m to win the Under-20 discus throw, erasing the previous mark of 53.18m set last year by KC’s Zico Campbell.
Edwin Allen’s Fiona Richards, the Champion Girl of the Central Championships, won the Under-20 event with a mark of 51.01m. She was just shy of the record 51.92m.