AARON McKenzie was one of the outstanding performers at the Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet held at the National Stadium last weekend.

The lanky Class Two athlete showed good early season form in his pet event, the high jump, when he cleared a new personal best 2.13m to set a new meet record, erasing the old mark of 2.0m set by Jerome Campbell of Calabar High in 2019.

The Kingston College athlete was flawless in his performance all the way to his new personal best but failed in two attempts to go even higher at 2.16m. He explained that the new personal best did not come as a surprise as he has been building up to it from as early as last season.

“I have been training really hard from the past season and the past few months, so I think I came here with a good mind and great expectations.”

He revealed that his intentions are to continue to soar to higher heights this season, starting with the CARIFTA Trials this weekend.

“I want to do the same thing and hopefully go even higher,” he said.

Based on his current form McKenzie would be one of the favourites to make the team to the CARIFTA Games next month, and he said if he got the opportunity to do so, it would be an honour.

“It would be an honour because I am a Jamaican citizen, so to represent my country in an event that I am very good at, it would be an honour.”

Even though the ISSA/GraeKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships is just about a month away, he has not set any targets for that event as yet.

“I wouldn’t know yet because the season has just started for me, but hopefully I can go even higher.”

After landing gold in the boys’ high jump, McKenzie then turned his attention to the triple jump where he picked up the silver medal with a best of 13.45m.

The boys’ Class Two triple jump was won by Euan Young of Jamaica College who had a best of 13.68m.

— Dwayne Richards