St Jago delivered a strong warning to their rivals ahead of this year’s Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, stunning the field to secure victory in the Class One boys’ 4x100m relay event at the Gibson-McCook Relays at National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Coached by Bertland Cameron, St Jago clocked 40.45 seconds, claiming the top spot ahead of preseason favourites Excelsior (40.47), with Jamaica College (JC) securing third place in 40.90. The quartet of Tajay Duffus, Rohan Pinnock, Kawanye Kelly, and Dushane Gordon led from start to finish, securing the victory for St Jago.

Expressing his satisfaction, Cameron praised his team’s efforts, saying that they had to put in hard work to get the victory.

“I am very proud of the boys because we were the underdogs coming into the meet, and nobody gave us a chance. So I am very proud of the boys,” he said.

In a quick turnaround, Excelsior, still reeling from their earlier defeat to St Jago, returned to win the gold in the Class Two 4×100 relay in 40.56. Kingston College (KC) secured second place in 40.76, while Calabar took third in 41.91. Calabar also claimed victory in the Class Three boys’ 4x100m relay, finishing in 43.26, leading ahead of KC (43.55) and St Jago (43.74).

In the girls’ events, Edwin Allen shone, winning two of the four relay events. Coached by Michael Dyke, Edwin Allen first secured victory in the Class One girls 4x100m relay in 45.68, followed by Hydel in 46.79 and Holmwood in 46.92.

The team then returned to win the gold in the Class Two event in 45.34. St Jago claimed second place in 46.23, while Hydel secured third in 46.70. St Jago continued their impressive showing, clocking 46.10 to win the Class Three girls’ 4x100m relay, with Edwin Allen in second at 46.19 and Hydel in third at 46.67. In the Class Four 4x100m relay, Hydel won the gold in 48.13, followed by Edwin Allen (48.38) and Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha” in third, with 49.15.

Alphansus Davis delivered a spectacular performance, winning the 4x400m mixed relay event in 3:32.83 minutes. Holmwood secured second place in 3:33.60, while Edwin Allen took third in 3:35.05 in this event, contested for the first time.

In an intense men’s high jump competition, Raymond Richards of University of Technology, Jamaica and Christoff Bryan of MVP Track Club showcased exquisite jumping skills. Richards, on his final attempt, set a meet record and personal best at 2.25m, matched by Bryan on his final attempt. Despite the bar being raised to 2.28m, both men failed to clear the distance. Richards was awarded the victory, having cleared the height before Bryan, who made two unsuccessful attempts at 2.28m before retiring from the competition.

Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald, representing Swept Track Club, delivered a season’s best effort of 7.66m to win the men’s long jump. Sprintec Track Club’s Shawn-D Thompson secured second place with a mark of 7.44, while Aubrey Allen from Legacy Track Club took third.

In the women’s long jump event, Tissanna Hickling of Ricketts PC captured victory with a leap of 6.32m, ahead of Richelle Stanley of St Elizabeth Technical High School (5.96m) and Edwin Allen’s Deijanae Bruce, who achieved a personal best of 5.85m.

Rasheda Samuels of Edwin Allen clinched the women’s high jump competition with a season’s best leap of 1.75m, followed by her teammate Asia McKay at 1.70m and Ramona Hylton of Swept Track Club at 1.65m.