#Champs2026: Stage set for epic Boys Class 1, 100m final
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The stage is set for what could be an epic Boys Class 1 100m final on Wednesday’s second day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships at the national stadium after brilliant semi-finals earlier in the day.
It took 10.33 seconds to get into the final after Malike Nugent of Excelsior High who made this final, had won the bronze medal with 10.35 seconds a year ago.
His teammate Riquelme Reid led the qualifying with 10.19 seconds (1.1m/s) leading home St George’s College’s Tyreece Foreman- 10.21 seconds with Edwin Allen High’s Romario Finnigan returning to the final with 10.27 seconds.
Johan -Romaldo Smythe of Holland High wins heat 2 of the boys class one 100m semifinal (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
Holland High’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe who was sixth last year, won his heat in 10.29 seconds (1.1m/s) ahead of Kingston College’s Nyrone Wade 10.33 seconds while Edwin Allen’s Kenrick Austin ran 10.27 seconds (1.6m/s) to edge William Knibb’s Sanjay Seymore who crossed the line in 10.28 seconds.
Jamaica College’s Kai Kelly ran a wind-aided 10.29 seconds (3.1m/s) to win his semi-final in Class 2, beating Ricardo Mann of Vere Technical who clocked 10.49 seconds.
Marquies Page of St Jago ran 10.55 seconds (0.5m/s) to win his heat while Mario Ross of Wolmer’s Boys’ clocked 10.64 seconds (0.6m/s) and Joshua Ricketts of Calabar High returned 10.65 seconds (0.7m/s).
There are hopes of a Wolmer’s Boys’ gold/silver finish in the Class 3 final after Ajani Lumley- 10.85 seconds (-0.4m/s) and Joshua McWilliams- 11.00 seconds (-0.5m/s) won their semi-final races in impressive fashion.
St Jago High’s J’den Fisher ran 11.02 seconds (-0.2m/s), Kingston College’s Kemanic Edwards clocked 11.25 seconds (-0.4m/s) and Calabar High’s Alex Lewis also made the final with 11.30 seconds (-0.2m/s).
-Paul A Reid