KINGSTON, Jamaica— Holmwood Technical’s Samantha Pryce took the first gold medal of the 2021 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships that started at the National Stadium this morning under hot and steamy conditions.

Pryce won the Girls Open steeplechase, the first final of the five day championships.

Starting just a few minutes after the 9:00am, the championships, which was cancelled last year out of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, is being held without fans for the first time.

Pryce took over the race from the early leaders at the start of the final lap and increased her lead by the time they got to the final water jump and won by a comfortable margin, in 7 minutes 07.12 seconds.

Sanyae Gibson of defending champions Edwin Allen High was second in 7:13.63 seconds and St Jago’s Rushell Johnson, who led for most of the race, was third with 7:17.70 seconds.

A total of 16 finals, nine for girls and seven for boys will be decided on today’s first day.

Paul Reid