Roshawn Clarke made a clear statement of intent when he shattered the record in the Class One boys’ 400m hurdles at the Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet (CADM) on Saturday.

The Camperdown High school student erased the record of 51.02s set by Romel Plummer of Kingston College in 2019, when he blazed to 50.31s to establish a new mark in the event.

Clarke had cruised to victory in 51.78s in the preliminary round but dropped the hammer on the field in the final as he dominated from start to finish.

He was quickly on the shoulders of Antonio Forbes of Kingston College and ahead of the field based on the stagger by the time they entered the back stretch. He eventually came off the final hurdle way ahead of the field to win by more than five metres.

Clarke was not surprised by his record run and was happy with his performance in the final.

“I executed well, I listened to my coach’s voice and came out here and did my best. I wasn’t surprised knowing that I had it in me to come out here and get the record,” he said.

Clarke believes that getting the record so early in the season is a sign of things to come.

“It means a lot to get the record and it shows that we are moving in the right direction. I want to make my family, friends and coaches proud,” he noted.

“I can always go faster,” Clarke added

Clarke was a member of Jamaica’s team to the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, last year and is ready to pull on the national colours again this year, first at the Carifta Games to be held in Kingston next month.

“Making the team to the Carifta Games is the next thing on my agenda,” he disclosed.

The Carifta Trials to select Jamaica’s team to the 49th Games will be held at the National Stadium from Friday March 11-13.

— Dwayne Richards