FOURTEEN-year-old Tia Clayton sped to a stunning age-group 100m world record of 11.37 seconds (1.7 mps) while her school Edwin Allen girls and St Jago boys scored contrasting victories at the Central Championships at G C Foster College yesterday.

Both Edwin Allen girls and St Jago boys walked away with the $250,000 winning prize which is the second in the Digicel Grand Prix Series.

Clayton became the fastest 14-year-old in history, lowering the previous best of 11.40 seconds held by American Ashton Purvis since 2007. Clayton now has two age-group world records following her 11.56 as the best 13-year-old in 2018.

Jamaica’s Brianna Williams has the 15-year-old best of 11.13 seconds jointly with American Tamara Davis.

“I am feeling great but I didn’t want to break it at Central Champs, I wanted to break it at Champs (ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships),” shared young Clayton.

To put Clayton’s performance into perspective, her 11.37 clocking was the same time as that of the boys Class Three winner Damain Darlington of Ferncourt High, and faster than the girls’ Class One winner Ashante Moore of Hydel, who clocked 11.46 seconds.

But although Clayton was a little disappointed as to where she wanted to break the record, her school Edwin Allen celebrated yet another Central Championships title after repelling the challenges of Hydel High, St Jago and Holmwood Technical.

The Michael Dyke-coached Edwin Allen amassed 366 points, some 20.5 points ahead of Hydel High, who finished second on 345.5 after holding the lead on a number of occasions on the final day. St Jago were third with 306.5 just ahead of Holmwood Technical on 279. Vere Technical completed the top-five on 131 points.

St Jago copped the boys’ crown easily, totalling 348 points and well ahead of second-placed Edwin Allen on 195.5 points. Clarendon College were third on 105 points ahead of Holmwood Technical in fourth on 93.5 points. Charlemont High finished fifth on 81 points.

The records continued to tumble following some breathtaking displays on the final day beginning with the girls’ 3000m which was won by Bellefield High’s Aneisha Lawrence in 10:21.34 minutes, well below the previous mark of 10:38.29 minutes. In fact the top three went faster.

Aj Sweeney of Edwin Allen won his second event of the championships in record fashion after capturing the boys’ 3000m Open in 15:45.50 minutes. On Tuesday he won the 2000m steeplechase in a record 6:04.71 minutes.

Vere’s Annishka McDonald leapt a record 1.68m and to win the girls’ Class Three high jump, while Hydel’s Oneika McAnnuff stopped the clock at 54.28 seconds to erase the girls’ Class Three 400m record of 54.87 seconds held by Daniella Deer of Holmwood Technical since 2017.

Former St Jago standout Anthony Cox of York Castle High sizzled to 46.46 seconds for the Class One 400m record, while Bellefield’s prodigy Tavaughn Martin became the first Class Three athlete to dip below the two-minute mark in the 800m, clocking a brilliant 1:57.48 minutes, which would also break the Class Three record at Champs of 1:58.06 held by JC’s Waqar DaCosta.

In one of the clashes of the championships, Tina Clayton — twin sister of 100m record holder Tia Clayton, turned back a strong challenge from St Jago star Brianna Lyston to win the Class Three 200m in 23.77 seconds. Tina, drawn in lane five, was quickly upon the shoulders of Lyston as the top two swung into the straight, everyone was on their feet as Lyston found another gear, but Clayton dug deep and showed tremendous speed endurance to move away for a most impressive win.

There was a disappointing collective sigh when it was announced that Kevona Davis’s record of 23.56 seconds had survived. But seconds later, Davis of Edwin Allen joined the party and lowered her own Class Two 200m record of 23.61 to 23.24 seconds (0.4 mps) with an effortless victory.

Hydel’s Ashanti Moore won the Class One 200m in 24.05 seconds, while St Jago’s Kryshell Hoolong out-duelled Taiefa Gowe of Hydel to win the Class Four 200m in 25.34 seconds.

St Jago’s Vashaun Vascianna won the Class Two 100m in 10.6 seconds (1.8 mps) and returned later to speed to 13.36 seconds with an illegal wind of 3.6 mps to win the time final 110m hurdles. However, his teammate Jahvel Granville, who won his heat in 13.69 seconds with a legal win of 1.5 mps and was second in the final, is the new record holder. To show how good the Jago guys were, third-placed Javauli Grant of Charlemont High clocked 15.73 seconds (3.6 mps).

The tall Rajay Morris of Clarendon College took the Class One 200m in 21.12 seconds (3.0 mps) while his teammate Richard Nelson won Class Two in a meet record of 21.99 seconds (0.7 mps).

Crystal Morrison of St Jago broke the girls’ Class Two 100m hurdles record of 13.48 seconds, clocking 13.41 and her schoolmate, Rosalee Cooper lowered the Class One record to 13.63 seconds.

GIRLS’ TEAM RANKINGS

1) Edwin Allen High 366

2) Hydel High 345.50

3) St Jago High 306.50

4) Holmwood Technical 279

5) Vere Technical High 131

6) St Catherine High 79.50

7) Spaldings High 61

8) Manchester High 59.50

9) Clarendon College 30

10) Bellefield High 28

BOYS’ TEAM RANKINGS

1) St Jago High 348

2) Edwin Allen High 195.50

3) Clarendon College 105

4) Holmwood Technical 93.50

5) Charlemont High 81

6) Bellefield High 70

7) St Catherine High 55

8) Enid Bennett High 50

9) Garvey Maceo 47

10) Bridgeport High 38