Javed Jones will carry the hopes of BB Coke High at this year’s 109th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ Champs, set to get going in just under two weeks’ time at National Stadium as he hopes to make it to both finals in the Class One 400m hurdles and the 400m events.

BB Coke will take a 12-member team to the meet set for March 26-30, but Jones is their main bet to get to a final and score points.

Last year the 19-year-old Jones earned the St Elizabeth school’s only point when he placed eighth in the final of the intermediate hurdles event in 55.28 seconds, but the hope this year is for more than just getting to the final.

Jones also ran the 400m at Champs last year getting to the semi-finals but there are hopes that he will get to both finals this year, improving on their singular final appearance in 2018.

Buprey Brown, head coach of the school’s track and field team since January 2016, says the sky will be the limit for Jones and their first-ever medal at Champs is the aim.

“This year we have bigger plans and we are looking for more history for BB Coke High. We are going all out for the gold, but we will be happy for any kind of medal,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Jones has been a revelation this season and created an upset at the COCAA Western Championships, beating Rusea’s High’s Brithon Senior, running a personal best 53.33 seconds.

His personal best 48.87 seconds in the 400m was set at the McKinley/Wint Classic at Calabar High in January, but Brown said his charge was capable of going under the 48.00 seconds barrier come Champs.

Jones was fourth in the Class One 400m at the COCAA Western Champs final on grass at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in 49.24 seconds.

—Paul Reid