ST CATHERINE amassed 304 points to be crowned champions of the 2017 Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA)/Sagicor National Athletics Championships which ended at the National Stadium yesterday.

This was the third time the St Catherine team was winning the championships, having won the inaugural edition in 1989, with their second hold being in 2014. They were runners-up to dethroned champions St Andrew in 2015 and 2016.Oral Whilby, coach of St Catherine, was elated for the victory.“The triumph is a big one, as I did not expect to win by such a wide margin, as former champions St Andrew has always been our main rivals,” Whilby said.“This was also my third championship title this year, as first I won with Windward Road and Naggo Head in the INSPORTS Junior High and Primary Schools Championships,” said a smiling Whilby.St Andrew, who have won the championships 18 times, finished second with 250 points, followed by Portland with 233, St Elizabeth on 202.5, Kingston with 143.5, and St Thomas with 129 points.St Catherine also captured the girls’ section with 173 points ahead of Portland with 117 and St Elizabeth on 115 points. St Andrew came out on top in the boys’ section with 136 points ahead of St Catherine on 133, and Portland with 116 points.Alana Reid of St Catherine won the girls’ Under-13 100 metres in 13.12 seconds ahead of Chevaughna Grant of Portland with 13.32 seconds, while the boys’ Under-13 100m was won by Tajai Duffus of St Catherine in a time of 12.98 seconds ahead of Dejaughn Strachan of Portland in 13.04 seconds.Christopher Scott of St Catherine won the boys’ Under-15 200 metres final in a time of 25.01 seconds ahead of Garth Henry of Clarendon in 25.27 seconds.Vanessa Sewell of St Catherine was the winner of the girls’ Under-15 200m in 28.81 seconds ahead of Brianna Grant of Portland in 28.50 seconds.Ronaldo Reid of St Andrew won the boys’ Under-13 400m in a time of 58.21 seconds, while the Under-15 boys’ 400m was won by Derrick Grant in 56.11 seconds ahead of Akeem Weir of St Catherine with 56. 92 seconds.Assanya Tomlin of St Catherine won the girls’ Under-13 400 metres in 1:01.43 minutes ahead of T-Wanna Cunningham of Kingston in 1:03.25 minutes.St Andrew captured the boys’ 1600 metres sprint medley open in 4:22.39 minutes in a close finish just ahead of Portland in 4:24.59 minutes, and Trelawny in 4:26.36 minutes.The girls’ Under-15 1500 metres final was won by Shanoya Smith of Manchester in 5:20.88 minutes ahead of Britannia Willis of St Catherine in 5.20.92 minutes.St Catherine won the girls’ 800 metres sprint medley in a close finish in a time of 2:02.35 minutes ahead of St Thomas in 2:02.80 minutes, and St Ann with 2:02.95 minutes.Darnell Edwards of Kingston and Kimanie Reid of St Ann had a keen duel to the line in the boys’ Under-15 1500 metres open final. Edwards won in 4:54.03 minutes with Reid clocking 4:54.04 minutes.