KINGSTON, Jamaica— Kingston College’s Rayon Campbell and St Jago High’s Safhia Hinds produced sublime World Under-20 leading performances to win the boys’ and girls’ Under-20 400m hurdles events respectively on Sunday’s final day of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Carifta Trials at the National Stadium.

There was also a World Under-18 lead for Kingston College’s Jordan Mowatt who won the Under-17 section with 52.53 seconds.

Campbell upset red hot favourite Roshawn Clarke of Camperdown to land the boys’ race in 49.52 seconds, the second fastest time ever by a Jamaican junior while Hinds dominated the girls’ event to win by a wide margin.

Taking over at the seventh hurdle, Campbell powered his way to the line, winning in a big personal best 49.52 seconds to replace Clarke as the World Under-20 leader as the Camperdown athlete clocked a new lifetime best 49.85 seconds with Kingston College’s Antonio Forbes third in 50.48 seconds.

Campbell’s time took him past former Excelsior High’s Devonte Archer and only behind Jaheel Hyde’s astounding 48.81 seconds done in 2016.

Clarke is now fourth on the all-time Jamaican list just ahead of Marvin Williams 49.90 seconds done in 2015.

Hinds lowered her previous best of 59.25 seconds set on Saturday with a scintillating 58.06 seconds time, to surpass the previous World Lead of 58.42 seconds set by Australia’s Isabella Guthrie, set in January.

Hydel’s Oneika McAnuff was second with 59.35 seconds with St Elizabeth Technical’s Shackelia Green third in 59.77 seconds.

Mowatt’s time was better than the previous World Under-18 best 52.56 seconds held by Yen-Kai Lin of Taipei as Jamaica College’s Princewell Martin was second with 53.01 seconds and Excelsior’s Daniel Wright third with 54.77 seconds.  

Deandra Harris of Spot Valley high won the girls’ Under-17  race in 1:01.78 seconds, beating Edwin Allen’s Kelly-Ann Carr- 1:05.22 seconds and St Jago High’s Olivia St John- 1:05.30 seconds.

-Paul A Reid