Birch creates upset in Class One 400m at Western Champs
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Cornwall College’s Mario Birch created one of the biggest upsets on Saturday in the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA) Grace Kennedy Western Championships at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex by winning the Class 1 boys 400m final.
Birch, the first year Class 1 athlete who had placed fifth in the 400m hurdles earlier in the day, stunned the field when he came from behind over the final 40m metres to win in a personal best 49.13 seconds.
He had qualified sixth best after the first round on Thursday and in the final he surpassed his previous personal best of 49.49 seconds set last year.
STETHS’ Lushane Blake was second in 49.25 seconds with Petersfield High’s Shoy Clayton third in 49.48 seconds.
Birch was one of two Cornwall College runners to win a 400m race as Anthony Drummond won the Class 3 event in 54.22 seconds, beating Rahjay Dryden of Sydney Pagon High – 54.90 seconds and Kaleb Powell of STETHS who ran 54.97 seconds.
William Knibb Memorial’s Jabari Matheson obliged in the Class 2 final, running 49.90 seconds to beat Oneil Brown of Munro College – 52.11 seconds with Usain Bernard of Petersfield High third in 52.47 seconds.
Jayden Smith of St Elizabeth Technical was the Class 4 winner in 55.79 seconds, beating Lynford McKenzie of William Knibb Memorial – 56.20 seconds and Tiene Barrett of Rusea’s High 56.83 seconds.
STETHS’ Shanque Williams completed the Girls Class 1 200/400m double when she ran 56.29 seconds to win the quarter-mile on Saturday, beating William Knibb Memorial’s Omelia Jeffrey -57.49 seconds and Danique Blake of Petersfield High -1:03.59 seconds.
Muschett High’s Shanoya Douglas was impressive in winning the Girls Class 2 400m final, running 54.92 seconds, beating Rhodes Hall’s Rhianna Lewis – 57.53 seconds and Shavanecia Griffiths of STETHS – 58.63 seconds.
STETHS’ Mareka Williams won the Class 3 Girls 400m in 58.31 seconds, beating Mt Alvernia High’s Lanoya Franklin – 58.57 seconds with Lacovia High’s Kimanda Swaby of Lacovia high third in 1:00.20 seconds.
-Paul A Reid
