Defending champions Excelsior High held off a strong challenge from Wolmer’s Girls’ to secure their fifth-straight hold on the girls’ section of the Digicel/Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet on Saturday.

The champions Excelsior (58.5 points) led the challengers Wolmer’s (57) by a mere 1.5 points at the end of day one on Friday, while third-placed St Andrew High (46) were locked in their own duel with The Queen’s School, who had 42 points. Surprise package Merl Grove High were in fifth place on 28 points,while Gaynstead High (10 points) and Alpha Academy on 9.5 points were the only other schools to have scored points on Friday.

On the opening day, Natrili Campbell of Wolmer’s Girls’ won the Class Four long jump with 5.19m (+2.6m/s), Dawaynea Lewis of Merl Grove High was second with 4.98m (+1.1m/s) and Marian Burton of Gaynstead High was third with 4.40m (+2.7m/s).

The Class Two long jump was won by Omaria Constable of Excelsior High with 5.54m (+0.6m/s), Jo-Anna Pinnock of St Andrew High was second with 1.45m (+1.3m/s) and Jade-Ann Smith of Alpha Academy was third with 5.13m (+1.8m/s).

Gaynstead High won both the Class One and Class Four high jump as Nehlia Mills took the Class One event with 1.55m, beating the only other competitor, Teiolla Harvey of Excelsior High, who had a best of 1.45m.

The Class Four champion Tatanya Anglin had a best of 1.40m, ahead of Natrili Campbell of Wolmer’s Girls’ (1.35m) and Aeisha Balli of St Andrew High whose best was also 1.35m.

Malaika Cunningham of Wolmer’s was the heavy favourite going into the Class Two high jump and she delivered yet again, with 1.70m. Chenessa Davis of Excelsior High was second with 1.60m, while Jo-Ann Pinnock of St Andrew High was third with 1.55m.

Queen’s showed depth in the girls’ 1500m, taking first and second in both Classes One and Two.

In the Class One final, Nastassia Facey (5:22.73) won ahead of Shenell Simms (5:28.88), while Gabrielle Gordon of Excelsior High was third in 5:53.55.

In Class Two, Crystal Coke was first in 5:34.55, while Ashantae Brown was second in 5:36.98. Jahmeli McCarty of Wolmer’s Girls’ was third in 6:14.59 as Queen’s bagged 32 points from the two finals.

In Class Three, Rihanna Gayle of St Andrew High broke The Queen’s stranglehold, winning in 5:38.28, while the Wolmer’s Girls’ pair of Toni-Ann Marsden (6:14.41) and Mikaila Scarlett (6:21.08) took the consolation places.

The intrigue between the top two raged on during Saturday’s second day as an unrelenting Wolmer’s team remained hot on the heels of the champions. But while the battle for the top two positions remained close for the entire championship, Queen’s made third spot their own through their powerful middle-distance presence in the higher classes.

The pair of Crystal Coke and Shenell Simms were the only participants in the girls’ Steeplechase Open, the first track final of the day and they bagged a massive 16 points for The Queen’s School.

Shenell Tucker ensured that the 400m hurdles Open title remained at Mountain View Avenue when she won gold in 1:02.71, but the pair of Silet Gray and Donnell Hartley placed second and third to help Queen’s open a telling gap on St Andrew High and from there third spot was secured for the school from Central Avenue.

The talented Natrece East of Wolmer’s took gold in the 100m for Class Four in 12.89s, while Jounee Armstrong of Immaculate was first in Class Three in 12.45s. Mikela Coombs of Excelsior was the winner in Class Two in 12.28s, while Krystal Sloley of Campion was first in Class One in 12.19s.

Justine Royal took the 400m in Class Three with 1:01.21, Diandra Kelly of Excelsior won in Class two in 57.29, while in Class One Shenell Tucker completed the 400m/400mh double, when she won in 57.99.

The 70m hurdles for Class Four was won by Tiana Marshall of Wolmer’s in 10.92s, while the 80m Class Three was won by Amoi Kentish of Alpha in 12.18s.

The 100m Class Two and Class One went to Queen’s. Kadina Debble won Class Two in 15.03s while Gabrielle Matthews won Class One in 14.94.

Tiana Marshall of Wolmer’s landed gold in the 200m for Class Four, while Armstrong completed the 100m/200m double for Immaculate, when she cruised to victory in 25.92s in the half lap event.

Mickayla Gardner of Wolmer’s, who finished second in the 400m final, went one better when she landed the 200m for Class Two in 25.30s.

Crystal Sloley was also a double winner for Campion as she returned from her 100m triumph to take the 200m final for Class One in 24.97s.

Rihanna Gayle secured gold for St Andrew High in the 800m for Class Three as she led from the start of the race to win in 2:36.72.

Ashantae Brown and Crystal Coke swapped places in the 800m Class Two as Queen’s bagged another big 16 points. Brown was first in 2:34.67, while Coke was second in 2:35.73.

Wolmer’s won the 4x100m for Class Four in 49.82s, while Immaculate swept to victory in Class Three in 48.84s and Class Two in 48.63. Queen’s were victorious in Class One in 48.18s.

Coke won her second gold medal for Queen’s on the day and third of the championships when she took the 3000m Open while her teammate Simms took her second silver for the day and third of the championships.

Queen’s won the Sprint Medley Open in 4:35.51 while the defending champions closed the show on the track with victory in the 4x400m Relay Open in 3:54.06.

In the field, Vashti Grey of Queen’s won the Class One long jump with 5.26m, Daini Morrison of Excelsior High won the javelin Open with 28.41m, Aaliyah Whyte of Wolmer’s won the Class One discus with 12.18m, Juliet Smith of Immaculate won the Class Two girls’ shot put with 13.71m, Najhada Seymoure of Excelsior won the Class Three girls’ discus with a personal best 32.98m and Shanniqua Williams of Wolmer’s won the Class Three high jump, while equalling her personal best of 1.65m.