Champions KC enter final day in pole position
Kingston College's Ainsley Campbell takes flight on his gold medal effort in the boys' 2,000m steeplechase Open.

Defending champions Kingston College (KC) are on course to retain their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys' Athletics Championships crown after establishing a massive 30-point lead entering Saturday's final day.

The Leaford Grant-coached KC, who are seeking their 34th hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy, lead the standings with 190 points, ahead of Jamaica College (JC), who are on 160, and Calabar High (95).

They are followed by St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who have 54 points, St Jago High (37), Excelsior High (34), Edwin Allen High (34), Maggotty 26, Wolmer's Boys' (21) and Cornwall College (20).

The North Street-based KC, who have outperformed their rivals so far in the championships, will be hard to beat, especially because they have qualified for all five relay finals today compared to JC's three.

Jamaica College's Deandre Gayle celebrates after winning gold in the Class Two 400m hurdles.(Photo: Garfield Robinson)

KC's pair of Ainsley Campbell and Amani Phillip picked up their second gold medals of the championships on Friday.

Campbell, who won the 1,500m event on Wednesday, produced an outstanding performance to win the 2000m steeplechase open in 6:13.57 minutes. JC's Nellie Ambriton took home the silver in 6:18.56, while the bronze medal went to Calabar's Adriano Brown in 6:22.33.

Campbell, who failed to win a medal at last year's championships, was delighted to win two gold medals in his final year at the event.

"It is a great feeling to win two gold medals this year knowing what happened last year in the 800m final where I was pushed off the track and didn't win a medal," said Campbell.

"However, it is a great feeling now knowing that I am 1,500 metres and steeplechase champion in my final year at Champs.

"There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders going into these two events, and so I am happy that I went out there and delivered it for Kingston College," Campbell stated.

Phillip, competing in Class Three, captured his second medal of the championships when he won the long jump competition with a mark of 6.53 metres.

Excelsior's Michael Graham won the silver medal when he cut the sand at 6.33m, while Calabar's Richard Green took bronze with a mark of 6.25m.

JC's Trevon Hamer turned in a good performance to win the Class One long jump competition with a mark of 15.61m. KC's Javar Thomas was second with a leap of 15.37m while Cornwall College's Kesean Rhooms was third in 14.50m.

Wolmer's Daniel Campbell leapt to 4.20m to the boys Pole Vault open event. KC's pair of Isaiah Patrick (3.90m) and Courtney Hanchard (3.60m) were second and third, respectively, in the event.

STETHS athlete Shamer Blake outsprinted his rivals to the finish line to win the boys Class One 400m hurdles final in 50.76, ahead of Edwin Allen's Tyrece Hyman (51.04) and Antonio Forbes of KC (51.09).

JC's Deandre Gayle won the gold medal in the Class Two 400m hurdles event in 52.75 in front of Calabar's Requel Reid (53.24) and KC's Taj-Oneil Gordon (53.70).

Points Standings (after 21 events)

Kingston College 190

Jamaica College 130

Calabar 95

St Elizabeth Technical 54

St Jago 37

Excelsior 34

Edwin Allen 34

Magotty 26

Wolmer's 21

Cornwall 20

Herbert Morrison 16

Peterfield 12

Munro 8

BB Coke 8

Clarendon College 7

Bellefield 7

Happy Grove 6

St Catherine 5

Defending champions Kingston College (KC) are on course to retain their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys' Athletics Championships crown after establishing a massive 30-point lead entering Saturday's final day.

The Leaford Grant-coached KC, who are seeking their 34th hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy, lead the standings with 190 points, ahead of Jamaica College (JC), who are on 160, and Calabar High (95).

They are followed by St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who have 54 points, St Jago High (37), Excelsior High (34), Edwin Allen High (34), Maggotty 26, Wolmer's Boys' (21) and Cornwall College (20).

The North Street-based KC, who have outperformed their rivals so far in the championships, will be hard to beat, especially because they have qualified for all five relay finals today compared to JC's three.

KC's pair of Ainsley Campbell and Amani Phillip picked up their second gold medals of the championships on Friday.

Campbell, who won the 1,500m event on Wednesday, produced an outstanding performance to win the 2000m steeplechase open in 6:13.57 minutes. JC's Nellie Ambriton took home the silver in 6:18.56, while the bronze medal went to Calabar's Adriano Brown in 6:22.33.

Campbell, who failed to win a medal at last year's championships, was delighted to win two gold medals in his final year at the event.

"It is a great feeling to win two gold medals this year knowing what happened last year in the 800m final where I was pushed off the track and didn't win a medal," said Campbell.

"However, it is a great feeling now knowing that I am 1,500 metres and steeplechase champion in my final year at Champs.

"There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders going into these two events, and so I am happy that I went out there and delivered it for Kingston College," Campbell stated.

Phillip, competing in Class Three, captured his second medal of the championships when he won the long jump competition with a mark of 6.53 metres.

Excelsior's Michael Graham won the silver medal when he cut the sand at 6.33m, while Calabar's Richard Green took bronze with a mark of 6.25m.

JC's Trevon Hamer turned in a good performance to win the Class One long jump competition with a mark of 15.61m. KC's Javar Thomas was second with a leap of 15.37m while Cornwall College's Kesean Rhooms was third in 14.50m.

Wolmer's Daniel Campbell leapt to 4.20m to the boys' Pole Vault open event. KC's pair of Isaiah Patrick (3.90m) and Courtney Hanchard (3.60m) were second and third, respectively, in the event.

STETHS athlete Shamer Blake outsprinted his rivals to the finish line to win the boys' Class One 400m hurdles final in 50.76, ahead of Edwin Allen's Tyrece Hyman (51.04) and Antonio Forbes of KC (51.09).

JC's Deandre Gayle won the gold medal in the Class Two 400m hurdles event in 52.75 in front of Calabar's Requel Reid (53.24) and KC's Taj-Oneil Gordon (53.70).

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