KINGSTON, Jamaica - Defending champions Kingston College and Jamaica College have qualified two athletes in each of the three Boys' 1500m events on Tuesday’s opening day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls National Championships at the National Stadium.

Jamaica College is expected to challenge Kingston College for the Boys’ title and both will be seeking to score in as many events as possible.

Kingston College’s Ethan Gioko-4:11.06 seconds and Ainsley Campbell-4:13.10 seconds, lead the qualifiers in Class 1 while Jamaica College’s Kemmario Bygrave- 4:14.97 seconds, won his heat and was third best. His teammate Nellie Ambriton- 4:14.89 seconds is also through.

William Knibb Memorial’s Nathaniel Wallace, St Jago’s Corlando Chambers, who was seventh last year, and Calabar High’s Kewarny Fletcher are also through.

The Class 2 race is expected to be close with Kingston College’s East Africans Nahashon Ruto, who won Class 3 last year, and Brian Kiprop, who won the silver medal in Class 2 last year, leading the qualifiers.

Maggotty High’s Yoshane Bowen is the defending champion and won his heat in 4:18.62 seconds while the Jamaica College pair of Rasheed Pryce and Tyrone Lawson are also through.

Edwin Allen’s Moses Johnson, who was fifth in the Class 3 final last year, leads the qualifying with 4:33.35 seconds to win his heat while Kingston College will be represented by Christopher Anderson and Jelani Brown while Jamaica College will have Yohance Carty and Bevin Davey.

-Paul A Reid