KINGSTON, Jamaica — Wednesday’s semi-finals and final in the Class 1 boys 100m promises explosive sprinting after an impressive display in Tuesday’s preliminary rounds of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships at the National Stadium.

Edwin Allen High’s Romario Finnigan surprised the field after he ran a big personal best of 10.19 seconds (1.5m/s), and it took 10.54 seconds to get into the next round.

The biggest casualty was Calabar High’s Jamal Stephenson, who failed to finish his first-round heat.

Finnigan got off to a flying start and led all the way to the finish, beating medal favourite Sanjay Seymore, who was well back in 10.47 seconds.

Three athletes ran sub 10.30 seconds times— Johan-Ramaldo Smythe of Holland High ran 10.24 seconds (1.0m/s), Kenrick Austin of Edwin Allen High ran a wind-aided 10.27 seconds (2.3m/s), and Malike Nugent of Excelsior High ran a wind-aided 10.27 seconds (2.1m/s).

Excelsior High’s Riquelme Reid was among seven athletes who ran sub-10.40-second times.

St Jago High’s Marquies Page leads the Class 2 qualifying with a wind-aided 10.47 seconds (2.6m/s), ahead of Vere Technical’s Ricardo Mann— 10.57 seconds (0.4m/s) and Calabar High’s Joshua Ricketts— 10.63 seconds (1.5m/s).

In Class 3, Kingston College’s Kemanic Edwards ran 11.06 seconds (1.6m/s) ahead of Wolmer’s Boys Joshua McWilliams— 11.10 seconds (0.2m/s), St Jago’s J’den Fisher— 11.15 seconds (-0.4m/s) and Calabar High’s Alex Lewis— 11.30 seconds.

— Paul A Reid