‘I was disappointed’
Calabar High School track star Christopher Taylor was left disappointed after his much-anticipated 200-metre clash with the injured Jhevaughn Matherson of Kingston College never materalised.
It was dubbed arguably the biggest clash in Champs history with various pundits sharing different views as to not only who would win, but the possibility of breaking Usain Bolt’s record of 20.25 seconds set 14 years ago in 2003.
“Yes, I was disappointed… not because I didn’t really get the big match-up because Jhevaughn Matherson got injured, but firstly, I don’t like when student athletes get injured,” Taylor told the Jamaica Observer.
Both athletes looked to be in superb form as Taylor opened his season easing to 20.59 seconds on March 11 and jogged 20.85 in the semi-finals at Champs.
Matherson, on the other hand, cruised to 20.66 seconds in his semi-final, setting the stage for a mouth-watering final worth going miles to see.
But Matherson picked up an injury in his 100m semi-final on Friday, returned hours later and false-started in the final of the shorter sprint. He turned up for the 200m final on Saturday, but it was obvious he was not race-fit.
Moments before going into his blocks he received a handshake from Taylor.
Taylor would eventually win the 200m in an effortless 20.70 seconds ahead of Andel Miller of Excelsior High with 20.90 seconds. A brave Matherson sauntered around in 25.35 seconds for a few points for his title-chasing school.
“It wasn’t a good sight. It troubled me mentally to know that he is my friend and I was looking for a competitive race with him and things happened to him,” said Taylor.
Meanwhile, the Calabar talisman, who once again played an integral role in his school’s sixth consecutive title and who was winning his fifth boys’ championship, said this was one of the best.
“This is very sweet for me knowing that this is the closest Champs I have ever been in throughout the five years at Calabar,” he told the Observer on Monday.
“So going out there and competing in this Championships, winning all the four events that I normally do and still taking home four gold medals and still having the title is very amazing for me,” he added.
It was an exciting championships that will long be remembered as it was decided after the very last race.
Calabar entered the 4x400m race trailing KC by four points and they had to win and hope that the North Street-based school finish outside the top three, and that is exactly what transpired.
Calabar won in a very fast 3:08.76 minutes and KC were down in fifth, struggling to 3:13.56 minutes. Taylor said he had no doubt about the victory.
“I wasn’t too worried about where they would place because I know that one of their strongest 4x400m members is Jhevaughn Matherson and he was injured for some unfortunate reason. That I didn’t like or understand, so I wasn’t too worried,” said Taylor.
“So I just went out there and be very competitive same way… but we didn’t underestimate Kingston College, though,” he assured.