Defending champions Calabar High School won a nail-biting and heart-stopping 107th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships by three points over pre-event favourite Kingston College (KC) at the National Stadium last night.

KC went into the last race, the 4×400-metre relays on 309 points, holding a four-point advantage over Calabar and needed to finish at least second to become champions. However, Calabar showed what champions are made of and sped away to victory in a very fast 3:08.76 minutes for 12 invaluable points.

KC could not reproduce their best form from early in the season and was a distant fifth in 3:13.56 minutes for five points, which were inadequate to hold off the marauding champions. St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) finished second in 3:09.97 minutes ahead of St Jago High in 3:11.00. Jamaica College (JC) were fourth with 3:11.77 minutes..

So after 42 finals, Calabar tallied 317 points to KC’s 314, with JC third on 203. St Jago High were fourth with 157 points, with STETHS completing the top five on 114.5 points.

The top 10 was rounded out by Wolmer’s Boys’ School on 77 points ahead of Petersfield High with 71. Munro College finished eighth on 52, with Rusea’s High next with 40. Edwin Allen boys followed on 32 points.

This was a sweet victory for Calabar, who for the first time in many years started as the underdogs, but showed their true championship mettle to secure their sixth-consecutive victory and their 27th lien on the prestigious Mortimer Geddes trophy.

An emotional Omar Hawes, one of Calabar High School’s assistant coaches, reflected on yesterday’s unlikely victory.

“This is sweeter than life itself. But it was a very interesting fight, very interesting contest between our rivals. I can’t say that I have ever had a challenge this great over the years, so it was pretty special.

“Congrats to the KC team for giving us such a fight, and it has now re-energised the team to do better in terms of injury management. We didn’t do well enough this year, but I think we came in at 80 per cent. But, generally speaking, this one is super special.”

The Michael Clarke-coached green and black boys from Red Hills Road are just four titles behind KC’s 31 as the most successful school in the 107-year staging of the event first held in 1910.

This victory was also sweet for Clarke, who was winning his 16th title — eight with his alma mater Calabar, seven with JC, and his first was with St Jago High some 30 years ago in 1987.

Due to the closing ceremony Calabar’s celebration was somewhat curtailed, as they sat and enjoyed the entertainment interspersed with fire crackers and the offerings of deejay Ding Dong.

But before all that, last night’s exciting finale will long be etched in the memories of the thousands inside the venue who witnessed yet another spectacle, said to be second to none on this side of the hemisphere.

Earlier, KC struck first blood as Aval Denton created a massive upset in the javelin open, beating national junior record holder Kevin Nedrick into second. Denton threw 59.21m for victory with Nedrick, who threw over 63m in the preliminaries, only mnanaging 59.15m this time. Rajheim Carby of Munro College was third with 57.09m. Calabar’s Kobie Henry was fifth with 53.49m.

Calabar picked up 33 points in the three 400-metre finals and assumed their first lead with 169 points, which was 10 points clear of KC, who picked up just 11 to be on 159 points after 22 finals.

The incomparable Christopher Taylor, who seemed like he wanted a challenge, sat back and left it late before surging to the front to pip his teammate Anthony Carpenter on the line in the Class One event in 46.45 seconds. Carpenter was second in 46.53 seconds, who for most of the race it seemed he would have created one of the biggest upsets at the championships. KC’s Dashawn Morris was third in 47.18 seconds ahead of Malik Scott of Bridgeport High with 47.75 seconds.

In the Class Two 400m, the outstanding Jevaughn Powell of Edwin Allen also left it late to win in 48.11 seconds ahead of Antonio Watson of Petersfield High in 48.54 seconds, Calabar’s fast-starting Evaldo Whitehorne in third in 48.78 seconds.

Davante Heywood of Munro College took the Class Three event in 50.22 seconds ahead of Tajay Roberts of Calabar in 51.33 and Martin Rose of Excelsior High in 51.71 seconds. Bjorn Clarke of KC was fourth in 52.06 seconds.

In the sprint hurdles Calabar captured 28 points compared to KC’s 17 as the pendulum swung in the favour of the green and black “Lions” from Red Hills Road.

Calabar opened up a 22-point lead sitting on 198 to KC’s 176 with JC third on 118 points after 25 finals.

Dejour Russell, who it was rumoured to be injured, turned up in immaculate condition and lowered the Class One 110m hurdles record clocking 13.21 (1.9) while erasing KC’s Olympic champion Omar McLeod’s record of 13.24 seconds set in 2013. Russell’s teammate Orlando Bennett was second in 13.52 seconds, with Oquendo Bernard of JC third with 13.53 seconds.

The Class Two event was won by the impressive Jeremy Farr of Wolmer’s, who completed the hurdles double in 13.38 seconds, and although below the existing record of 13.45 seconds, the tailwind of 2.5 mps made the time unofficial. But Calabar would secure six more valuable points for fifth and seventh with Schavon Carr and Craig Brown. This was the race KC’s injured Wayne Pinnock was tipped to win. KC had no one in the final.

In Class Three, St Jago’s Vashaun Vascianna smashed the record of 13.10 seconds and lowered it to 12.90 (2.0) seconds. KC picked up 13 points courtesy of second and third by Timothy Lee (13.17) and Tajae Francis (13.33). Calabar got seven points for fifth and sixth with Dishaun Lamb and Jerome Campbell.

On to the 800 metres and KC actually outscored Calabar for the first time in a series of event, collecting 18 points to their rivals’ 11 in the three classes.

By that time, Calabar had raced to 209 points and held a 15-point lead over KC on 194. JC remained in third spot on 134 points.

KC’s twin attack of Giovouni and Gianni Henry picked up nine points following their third and sixth placed finish in the 800m. The race was won in impressive fashion by David Martin of STETHS in 2:03.28 minutes.

Calabar’s 800m record holder Kimar Farquharson had to repel a late charge by KC’s Tarees Rhoden to win in 1:52.49 minutes. Rhoden was timed at 1:52.53, with Munro College’s Rushane Fullerton third with 1:53.31. Calabar’s Kevroy Venson, the 1500m record holder laboured to eighth in 2:04.16 minutes.

In the Class One 800m, KC’s Colin Rowe and Calabar’s Javon-Taye Williams collided on the backstretch and, after finishing seventh and eighth, respectively, a peeved Williams moved menacingly towards Rowe and actually pushed him before the officials intervened. Rowe was disqualified according to IAAF Rule 163.2B. But after an appeal, he was reinstated for two crucial points.

The race was won by Rayon Butler of STETHS in 1:50.24 minutes ahead of his teammate Jauavney James in 1:50.27 minutes. Leon Clarke of St Jago was third in 1:51.11 minutes.

At the completion of the three 200 metres, Calabar were expected to really open up the gap, especially with Matherson injured, but they only gained a four-point advantage, pocketing 22 points to KC’s 18 to establish a 14-point lead.

Calabar were on 237 to KC’s 223 with JC third and out of contention with 145 points.

Points were up for grabs and KC’s injured Matherson turned up and jogged for a point, but got more than he bargained for as St Jago’s Michael Bentley pulled up injured. Matherson was timed at 25.35 seconds.

Christopher Taylor captured the event in 20.70 (2.8mps) ahead of Andel Miller of Excelsior in 20.90 seconds. Tyreke Wilson was third in 21.03 seconds. KC’s Tyreke Bryan was fourth in 21.17 seconds.

STETHS’ Sachin Dennis also copped his second gold in the Class Two 200m in 21.06 seconds (1.9) ahead of Jevaughn Powell of Edwin Allen in 21.11, and Wolmer’s Xavier Nairne with 21.15 seconds.

KC got 12 points in Class Three courtesy of Terrique Stennett and Javain Johnson, who were second and fourth in 22.01 and 22.62 seconds, respectively. Raheim Scott of Rusea’s won in 21.99 seconds. Calabar were fourth and fifth with Luke Brown and Jeffrey Barron.

Things were getting tighter than most people believed as KC were not going away without a fight, as Mitchell Bailey won the Class Two high jump clearing 1.95m, the same distance as the other top five persons including Calabar’s Lamar Reid, who was joint third.

Having missed out on javelin gold, Petersfield’s Nedrick returned with a vengeance and smashed the Class One shot put record of 19.52m, heaving the implement 20.65m for a new national junior record.

Calabar’s Kyle Mitchell was second with 17.64m ahead if KC’s Zico Campbell with 17.52m.

The Class Two discus was won by the unstoppable Christopher Brown of Petersfield High with a throw 49.25m ahead of Anthony Smylie of Edwin Allen with 46.06m. Calabar’s Shadane Adamson was third with 43.32m, while KC picked up nine points finishing fourth and fifth courtesy of Garvin Duffus and Nemoy Cockett.

KC further reduced Calabar’s lead finishing third in the sprint medlay relay. Calabar were fourth. The event was won by Spalding High in 3:27.75 minutes. St Jago were second with 3:27.86 minutes.

Calabar were on 263.50 points to KC’s 246, a gap of 17.5 points.

Calabar won the Class One 4x100m relay in 39.43 seconds ahead of KC in 40.03 seconds. Excelsior dropped the baton inches before the finish line which allowed the North Street-based school into second place.

Jamaica College took the Class Two in 40.60 ahead of STETHS in 41.18 with KC third in 41.19 seconds. Calabar were fourth with 41.30 seconds.

KC grabbed 12 crucial points after capturing Class Three in 43.07 seconds ahead of JC with 43.58 seconds. Calabar were fourth in 43.82 seconds for six points.

At the end of the relays, Calabar had 287.5 points and held a 13.5-point lead over KC on 274 points. JC had 179 points.

Lushane Wilson took the Class One high jump with 2.08m just ahead of Calabar’s Ricardo Clarke with 2.05m. Kobe-Jordan Rhooms of Cornwall College was third with 2.00m. KC’s Jon-Michael Davis was fourth with 2:00m.

At this point, Calabar had opened up a 17-point lead, sitting on 296 points to KC’s 279.

Despite not winning the Class Two triple jump, KC picked up 12 valuable points courtesy of Shaquille Lowe (14.21m) and Nicholas Richards (13.84m). Calabar collected nine points via Nikaoli Williams (13.96m) and Richard Campbell (13.66m) for third and sixth places, respectively. The event was won by Michael Beecher of JC with 14.70m.

But then, KC bagged 16 massive points in the 5000m, finishing first and second with Aryamanya Rodgers and Shane Buchanan. Rodgers was easy in 15:07.58 minutes, with Buchanan second in 15:20.94 minutes.

With Calabar without an athlete in that race, KC surged back in front with 309 points to Calabar’s 305.