DEFENDING champion Taiefa Gowe of Hydel High became the first Jamaican high school girl to run the 2000m steeplechase under 7:00 minutes when she clocked 6:52.82 to take back-to-back gold at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships on Friday.

Gowe, who was winning her second gold medal of the championships after taking the Class 1 1500m at the National Stadium on Wednesday, smashed the previous 7:01.07 record set in 2012 by Desreen Montaque of Edwin Allen High.

Edwin Allen’s Sushana Johnson, who repeated her silver-medal performance from last year, was also under the old record with 6:55.69 on Friday. Holmwood Technical’s Terrica Clarke, who was fifth last year, took bronze in 7:18.93.

Kellyann Carr of Edwin Allen won the Girls’ 400m hurdles open, running 57.41. But Hydel High scored big points with Nastassia Fletcher who was strong over the final two hurdles to finish second with 57.92. Fletcher’s teammate Aaliyah Mullings retained her bronze medal from last year with 58.47.

After 23 finals Hydel High lead with 140 points, 11 more than defending champions Edwin Allen (129). They are followed by Holmwood Technical (106), St Jago High (60) and Immaculate Conception (55).

It was a tumultuous day for Lacovia High’s Sabrina Dockery, who was initially disqualified in the semi-finals of the Class One 200m. A protest was filed and she was allowed to return to the final after she ran in a special race and kept her dreams of a sprint double alive.

She clocked 23.88 seconds in the race, competing alongside Immaculate’s Shevi-Ann Shim who failed to advance. Dockery is seeking to claim the double after winning the 100m in a personal best 11.08 seconds on Wednesday — the second-fastest ever at Champs and fifth best of all-time by a Jamaican Under-20 girl.

Jody Ann Daley of Hydel High led the qualifying in 23.53 (0.8m/s), with Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong, who clocked 23.75 (-0.5m/s), and Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel, who ran 23.79 (-0.5m/s), next in line.

Bellefield High’s Anecia Campbell, with 24.20 (0.8m/s), and the Holmwood Technical pair of 100m silver medallist Doneillia Lewis, with 24.04 (-0.5m/s), and 400m silver medallist Abrina Wright, with 24.35 (0.8m/s), are also through.

Hydel High’s Sashana Johnson, who was second in the 400m, leads the Class Two qualifying with 23.57 (0.7m/s). She was ahead of 100m gold medallist Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High in 23.99 (0.3m/s), with Breanna Brown of Excelsior High 24.41 (0.1m/s) next best.

Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls’, the 100m silver medallist, also advanced with 23.59 seconds (0.7m/s), as well as Shanika Lindsay of Alphansus Davis High in 24.44 (0.3m/s).

The Class Three final will see a clash between 100m champion Shannia Campbell of St Jago High, who ran 24.22 (0.1m/s), and 400m champion Shameika McLean of Foga Road who clocked 24.30 (1.7m/s).

Port Antonio High’s Kevina Bourne led the qualifying with 24.08 (0.9m/s) and will be joined by 100m bronze medallist Rihanna Scott of Ferncourt High, with 24.24 (1.7m/s), and Danelia Clarke of Edwin Allen who timed 24.41 (0.1m/s).

Reneka Reid of Hydel High leads the Class 4 qualifying with 25.00 (1.8m/s), just ahead of Adalia Simpson of Holmwood Technical with 25.14 (1.3m/s), and Vere Technical’s Danae Bartley with 25.24 (1.5m/s).

They are to be joined by Anya Johnson of Immaculate Conception with 25.40 (1.5m/s), and Alzeliha Allen of St Andrew High with 25.52 (1.8m/s).

Alikay Reynolds of Alphansus Davis High will be going after a second gold medal, as after winning the Class Two 1500m on Wednesday she leads the 800m qualifiers with 2:12.56 minutes.

She will once again face Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose, who was second in the 1500m. Rose qualified with 2:13.40 while Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler will hope to get a medal after she was fourth in the 1500m.

The older Rose sister, Cindy, who was second in the Class One 1500m, ran 2:12.31 to lead the Class One qualifying. Cindy is expected to face the biggest competition from 1500m finalist Ameiah Samuel of Alphansus Davis, who clocked 2:14.78, and St Elizabeth Technical’s Shavanecia Griffiths (2:14.83).

Papine High’s Sabrina McDonald will be seeking her school’s first medal this week, after running 2:16.03, while Chennai Jarrett of St Elizabeth Technical, with 2:16.07, and Davine Dickenson of Immaculate Conception, with 2:17.67, are also through.

Shameika Dennis of Elizabeth Technical, who won the bronze medal in the Class Three 1500m, will hope to get a second medal after qualifying for the 800m final with 2:20.87.

Edwin Allen’s Aneka Lowe, who was sixth in the 1500m, led the 800m qualification after she ran 2:16.60. The youngest of the Rose sisters at Holmwood Technical, Kerrita, is also into the final with her 2:18.66 clocking.

GIRLS’ POINTS STANDING

(after 23 finals)

1 Hydel 140

2 Edwin Allen 129

3 Holmwood 106

4 St Jago 60

5 Immaculate 55

6 Vere 49.5

7 Wolmer’s Girls’ 42

8 St Elizabeth Technical 39

9 Excelsior 35

10 Alphansus Davis