The recent Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships was again another fine spectacle. The secondary school headmasters, along with their title sponsor GraceKennedy, delivered and should be proud of the world-class event.

Equally impressive was the organisers introduction of the Mato MTS-602 reflectorless total station in the field events, particularity, the discus, shot put and the javelin. The device applies laser technology to record and relay the distance to the meet manager programme and the electronic performance boards. Cutting edge technology it is, but more importantly it provides spectators inside National Stadium with real time information.

A measuring tape and an eagle-eyed official are things of the past. However, it could be argued that it is a case of the cart before the horse, but better late than never.

The nation’s finest student athletes, 3,000 boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 19, representing more than 100 secondary schools in both genders from across the island were on display. Notable among them were a number of twin competitors.

Track and field fans of old will recall the Spence duo of Mal and Mel and who could forget the Parkes boys of Jamaica College in the late 1960s? Then there was the pair of girls from Manchester High in the 1990s, among others. All of these made notable contributions during their time.

Kingston College’s Class Two middle distance twins — Giovounni and Gianni Henry contributed 26 points to their team’s effort in dethroning the seven-time consecutive champions Calabar High. They were simply outstanding, and under normal circumstances could have been the talk of the town. Make no doubt about it, they and their teammates from North Street not only broke the stranglehold of Calabar’s dominance, but in the process produced the most points ever in the 109-year history of the event on their way to their 32nd hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy, with an almost flawless campaign.

Rusea’s High from out west, the fifth-placed girls’ team at the championships, also sent their pair of girls to the stellar event to compete in the Class One shot put, discus and the javelin. The Shaws — Aliesha and Keliesha — placed third and fifth, respectively, in the shot put. Aliesha went off on her own to place fourth in the discus, while Keliesha, despite her best effort, was unable to make the javelin final. Together they contributed 15 of the team’s 84 points.

In these very same champs were the Clayton girls, Tina and Tia — two extraordinary young girls who continue to do exceptional things, representing Edwin Allen High, competing in Class Three.

Their impressive performances in the build-up to the world-famous competition were tame compared to their exploits at the championships. Not only did they continue, at their tender age, to run their way into record books but also deep into our hearts. Both girls won gold medals while dethroning the other in the sprint double. Each girl produced 15 valuable points in the process of alternating and exchanging places in both the 100m and 200m. Their competitive nature was on full display in not wanting to lose, even to each other. On Friday evening, the penultimate day of the meeting, Tina created a small upset by defeating her sister in the 100 metres final. Tia, it is reported, was not pleased.

So on Saturday evening, in the midst of a 53-final showdown and within 10 metres from the finish of the 200 metre final, both girls seemingly tried to allow the other to win, displaying a hesitance to cross the finish line. Eventually the winner of the 100ms Tina, pulled up and allowed her sister, Tia, the more celebrated of the two, to win, and harmony was restored. And when the girls from Frankfield in Clarendon’s ship was sailing in rough seas because of the pressure applied by a courageous Hydel High squad, this year’s winner of the central championships, the two darlings stepped up to dominate the sprint relay in their class with two devastating runs on either straight away, to ensure that Edwin Allen High made it safely to calm waters and to extend their hold on the trophy.

The girls were elegant and poised and sooner, rather than later, will take their places in a long line of outstanding female sprinters.

The ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships also drew the attention of the organisers of the prestigious Penn Relays held at the University of Pennsylvania on the east coast of the United States, who were in attendance. When asked what prompted the visit, one member of the group reported that the Jamaican track and field fans at “Penns” have always provided the best atmosphere, and so they had to witness for themselves the real deal.

He must be taken for his word but one can’t help but wonder if the Penn Relay organisers are still not convinced that the teams from Jamaica are not all-star teams, but instead individual high schools.

Can’t wait to witness the twin 20 edition.

Editor’s note: Trevor Campbell is a Kingston College legend with a decorated history at Champs, where he won 14 events and was undefeated in individual 200m, 400m, and 800m races, setting new records in the latter two events. His only defeat came in a 4×400m relay. He represented Jamaica at the 1972 Olympics, but opted out of his final year in Class One in 1973 to take up a scholarship at the University of Southern California, where his senior career was plagued by injury and ended early.