Clayton, Forte shine as records fall at Gibson McCook Relays
Olympic Games 100m finalist Tia Clayton produced a solid performance to capture the women’s 60m title at the Gibson McCook Relays Championships at National Stadium on Saturday. Clayton, who had a breakout season last year, finishing seventh in the 100m final at the Paris Olympic Games, sped to 7.02 seconds with a +2.6 wind to win section one of the event. Her sister, Tina, finished second overall after winning section two in 7.04 (+2.2 wind), while Shashalee Forbes placed third in 7.12.
Julian Forte clocked a personal best of 6.48s as the overall winner of the men’s 60m event. Wolmer’s Gary Card ran a personal best of 6.57 to win his heat and finished third overall, while Nishion Ebanks secured second place in 6.55.
National 400m record holder Rusheen McDonald recorded a season’s best time of 45.53s to win ahead of Wendell Miller (45.67) and Demish Gaye (46.37).
Calabar’s Class One 4x100m relay team delivered a scintillating performance, winning in an impressive 39.60s. Jamaica College (JC) placed second in 39.88s, while Excelsior took third in 39.99s. Kingston College (KC) clinched the gold medal in the Class Two 4x100m relay in a nail-biting finish with a time of 41.26s, the same as Calabar High, who took silver. Edwin Allen High earned the bronze medal in 41.41.
JC claimed victory in the Class Three 4x100m relay with a time of 42.44s, ahead of St Jago (42.80) and Calabar (43.30).
The Edwin Allen girls’ team had an impressive championships, capturing two of the four 4x100m relay events. The Michael Dyke-coached squad won the girls’ Class One event in a thrilling finish with a time of 44.81s, edging out Hydel High, who was credited with the same time. Holmwood finished third in 45.04. Edwin Allen secured their second relay win in the Class Four event, clocking 47.56s. Holmwood Technical took second in 47.82, while Covenant of Mercy “Alpha” Academy placed third in 48.06.
Hydel won the Class Two girls’ 4x100m relay with a time of 45.70, ahead of Edwin Allen (45.91) and Vere Technical (46.00). St Jago High sped to victory in the girls’ Class Three 4x100m relay with a time of 46.51s, narrowly beating Edwin Allen (46.57) and Alpha (47.56).
In the Hydel Prep Under-12 boys’ 4x100m relay, the team set a meet record of 49.83s. Vaz finished second with a personal best of 51.98s, while St Andrew placed third with a personal best of 54.25s. Moments later, Vaz returned to capture the girls’ Under-12 4x100m relay title in 54.08s, with Emmanuel Christian Academy finishing second in 55.76s.
Tajay Gayle, the 2019 long jump world champion, set a meet record with a leap of 8.34m, surpassing Nicholas Gordon’s 2015 mark of 7.95m on his final attempt after six rounds. Shawn-D Thompson finished second with a jump of 7.88m, while Aubrey Allen placed third with 7.69m.
St Jago’s Kenyan athlete Ryan Achau won the men’s 1500m open with a personal best of 3:52.06 minutes. Kingston College’s Peter Njuguna, also from Kenya, finished second with a personal best of 3:57.58, while unattached athlete Raheim Walker placed third in 4:09.52.