The highly anticipated Boys’ Class One 100m semi-finals at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships are set to be a thrilling showdown, with Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart entering as a determined outsider eager to cause an upset.

Despite not being among the pre-race favourites, Stewart has expressed supreme confidence in his ability to challenge his more-fancied rivals and secure the gold medal.

“Coming into a championships, the objective is always to get the gold medal, and so yes, I do have faith that I can achieve that this year,” Stewart asserted. “That is exactly what I am aiming for at this championships.”

Stewart has been enjoying a standout season, free from injuries and full of confidence.

“I want this a lot because I have been working very hard for this. This season has been perfect, as I have not been injured or anything like that. I am very focused, and so I am looking forward to even bettering my personal best in the semi-finals,” he said.

After stepping up to Class One this year, Stewart has already made his mark. He finished third in the Class Two 100m final last season but is now ready to challenge for the top spot.

In the heats, he ran a personal best of 10.43 seconds to win and comfortably qualify for this evening’s semi-finals. His time is the fourth-fastest heading into the next round, trailing only Lacovia’s High’s Rosean Smith (10.31), Wolmer’s Boys’ Gary Card (10.32), and St Mary’s Kenrick Sharpe (10.42).

The semi-finals are expected to be thrillers, with a stacked line-up of talent vying for a place in the final.

Other key qualifiers include Johan-Ramaldo Smythe of Muschett (10.47), Jamal Stephenson of Calabar (10.46), and his Calabar teammate Shaquane Gordon (10.48).

Defending champion Marchinho Rose of Kingston College (KC) clocked 47.52 to lead all qualifiers semi-finals of the boys’ Class One 400m event.

Rose’s time was the fastest of the round with Holmwood Technical’s Omarie Williams running 47.58 to win heat five, the second best time. Jabarie Matheson of William Knibb Memorial, the bronze medallist in Class Two last year ran 47.59 to hold the third-fastest time going into the semifinals.

Excelsior High’s Kishawn Hoffman advanced to the semi-finals with 47.65 with Tajh-Marques White of Kingston College, the fastest of the year so far, cruising to 47.94 seconds, while Kevin Bliss of Mona High ran 48.30 and Mario Birch of Cornwall College ran 48.46, also making progress.

St Jago High’s Rushane Richards led the Class Two qualifying after he ran 48.74 followed by the Calabar High pair of Diwayne Sharpe (48.85) and Micah Willis (48.95).

Gregory McFarlane of Excelsior High, a finalist last year, ran 49.74 and Tyrece Whyte of Port Antonio High also made progress with 49.93.

The Calabar High duo of Justin McKoy (51.31) and Rajeve Allison (51.71) led the way in Class Three with Lacovia High’s Nicholas Jones (51.89), Khiene Campbell (51.97) of St Jago and Tyrone Turner (51.97) of Manchester High also qualifying for the semi-finals.

Ryan Achau from St Jago leads all qualifiers for the final of the Boys’ Class One 1,500m event after comfortably winning his heat in four minutes 06.10 seconds.

KC’s Brian Kiprop, who is highly favoured to challenge for the gold medal, has the second fastest of 4:07.01 going into the final of the event. Shamar Walker (4:08.11) of Glengoffe, Odane Davidson (4:08.63) of Calabar, Ricardo Carr (4:09.84) of Excelsior are the other main qualifiers for the final.

Thywaine Sterling of William Knibb Memorial High clocked a smart 4:16.00 to top the all qualifiers for the final of the Boys’ Class Two 1,500m event. Moses Johnson (4:16.35) Edwin Allen, Cavel Nooks (4:17.25) of Jamaica College, Luke Plummer (4:18.54) of Sydney Pagon, Christopher Anderson (4:18.82) of KC and Keniel Daniels (4:18.93) of Excelsior are the other gold medal contenders.

In Class Three, KC’s Julius Itubo produced an excellent performance to win 1,500m heat in a time of 4:14.24 to advance to the final. Bellefield’s Jevaughn Tomlin (2:28.58), St Elizabeth Technical’s Dejaun Gray (4:30.92), St Jago’s Javaughne Tyrell (4:31.56), Manchester’s Kevon Plamer (4:31.45), and Wolmer’s Boys’ Alfario Cunningham (4:31.77) are the other main qualifiers.