Javontae Smith of Munro College competes in the Class 2 shot put on the first day of
the COCAA Western Championships at the STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz on Wednesday. (Photo: Paul Reid)
Munro coach not surprised by Smith’s shot put U-18 world lead
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Omar Bryan, throws coach at Munro College, says he is not surprised at Javontae Smith’s rapid improvements this season. In fact, he thinks Smith is just a throw away “from a really big one” in the Boys’ Class 2 shot put.
Smith, Munro’s throwing prodigy, improved his World Under-18 lead in the shot put on Wednesday when he destroyed his one-year-old record effort to win the Boys’ Class 2 event with 19.34m on the first day of the Country of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA) Western Championships at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Sports Complex.
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Smith, who last week broke another record at the Western Relays held at GC Foster Sports College with a throw of 19.16m, smashed the Western Champs record 18.21m he set at Cornwall College a year ago.
Bryan, who watched Munro College dominate the boys’ throwing events on Wednesday, said expectation has been high given the preparation put in.
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“We have been putting in the work, we have expectations. We have projections, sometimes you’re a little bit inconsistent, which is the biggest factor… But surprised? No, because we know that the potential is here and you know, a big one can happen anytime soon,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.
“Technically, inconsistencies are causing fluctuations in output, but we are working assiduously to see if we can have some technical consistency going and then I think from that base, there will be bigger, better flows,” Bryan said.
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Smith, who also won the discus throw on Wednesday, broke the old shot put record on his first attempt, getting to 18.23m. He then went more than a full metre better in the fifth round with his massive heave.
Smith successfully defended the discus throw with 52.32m as his teammate Devonte Edwards retained his Class 1 shot put title with 18.00m. Rajeem Street and Czevan Wellington, also both of Munro College, won the Class 1 discus throw (51.80m) and Class 3 discus throw 36.22m, respectively.
Black River High’s Javier Dunkley broke Munro’s throwing monopoly by winning the Class 3 shot put with 13.47m.
Dunkley’s teammate Tabrina Francis won the Class 1 shot put title with 10.10m and the javelin Open with 31.28m before taking third in the discus throw with 26.08m. All were personal bests for her.
Athletes from STETHS won the Girls Class 2 and Class 3 discus titles. Davieka Lewis threw 41.61m to take the Class 2 gold medal ahead of her teammate Jada Clarke (35.86m). Belance Bennett won the Class 3 event with 34.15m.
Petersfield High’s Neveta-Lee Foster won the Class 1 discus throw with 29.14m, while her teammate Deandra Clarke claimed silver with 27.41m.
Munro College, former champions at Western Champs, lead after 15 finals on the first day with 131.5 points, 81 of which came in the throws as they won five of the six events contested on Wednesday, with the javelin Open set to be decided on Saturday’s second and final day to be staged at G C Foster College in St Catherine.
William Knibb Memorial are in second place with 89.5 points, just marginally ahead of defending boys’ champions STETHS (89). Cornwall College, on 81 points, and Herbert Morrison Technical (55) round out the top five.
Defending girls’ champions STETHS are leading their section on 118 points after 16 finals, ahead of second-place Mount Alvernia High (96), William Knibb Memorial High (75), Black River High (51) and Petersfield High (46).
The three medals won by Francis made up 24 of Black River’s 51 points on the day.
