KC reiterates Champs dominance with 36th title
Kingston College (KC) has once again stamped their dominance in schoolboy athletics, securing their 36th Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ Athletics Championships (Champs) title in emphatic fashion at the National Stadium last night.
KC, who started the final day with 136.5 points, 21.5 points ahead of Calabar High, tallied 293 points to win the championships.
KC closed Champs with victory in the final event of the championships, as they won the 4x400m relay in 3:07.46 minutes, ahead of Calabar (3:08.60), while Jamaica College (JC) finished third in 3:08.61.
KC delivered a commanding performance throughout the competition, racking up crucial points in the sprints, middle distances, and field events to secure the championship. The success was also a fitting farewell for KC’s Head Coach Leaford Grant, who told the Jamaica Observer in an exclusive interview last month that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of the season.
Grant has led KC to five Boys’ Champs titles in the last six years. This year’s triumph is even more special as KC is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
KC’s Amani Phillips brought the fans at the National Stadium to their feet as he shattered the Class Two triple jump competition with a mark of 15.66m. He erased the previous mark of 15.54m, which was held by Michael-Andre Edwards of JC. Khi-Anthony Hall of Excelsior won the silver with a mark of 14.31m, while Demario Clarke from KC took home the bronze with a leap of 14.19m.
Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon produced a gutsy performance to win the gold medal in the Class One 110m hurdles.
Gordon, who finished third last year, clocked 13.52 seconds to defeat the defending champion Daniel Clarke of KC, who ran 13.54, while Shakir Lewis of JC was third in 13.85 seconds. Both Gordon and Clarke were disqualified in the semi-finals on Friday but were reinstated after protests were lodged.
Gordon, who had run a personal best time in the semi-finals, was elated with his performance.
“I just went out there and had fun, but the execution was a bit off,” he told the Sunday Observer. “But I am happy for the gold medal. It was a very tough race and anybody could have won it, but I really wanted it and I am very delighted that I won it.”
In the Class Two final, Jonathan Clarke of KC won the gold medal with 13.63, well ahead of St Jago High’s Marquies Page, who ran 13.71, while third went to Christian Wallace of JC, who took bronze in 13.84.
Calabar took the “quinella” in the Class Three 100m hurdles final with Ronaldinho Barnett winning with 12.92 seconds, ahead of his teammate Jordan McBean (13.10), with third going to Jhaidon Dawkins of KC in 13.38.
William Knibb sped to 21.27 to win the gold medal in the Class One 200m event. He defeated the prerace favourite, Junior Gallimore, of Calabar, who was second in 21.42, while third went to KC’s Markel Smith in 21.64.
Usain Bernard of Petersfield won the Class Two 200m final with a time of 21.82, with second going to Jaydon Collins from Holmwood in 21.99, while Jason Pitter from KC finished third in 22.01. In the Class Three final, Rajaun Romelly sped to 22.57 to take home gold in front of KC’s Emmile Higgins (23.31).
In the Boys’ Class One 800m final, Titchfield’s Shavan Jarrett ran 1:50.40 minutes to take home the gold medal ahead of Edwin Allen’s Joel Morgan (1:51.46), with third going to Raheem Palmer from Alphansus Davis in 1:52.88.
A few minutes earlier, William Knibb’s Thywaine Sterling captured the gold medal in the Class Two 800m in 1:54.88. Luke Palmer of Sydney Pagon took silver in 1:56.39, while Rasheed Grant from St Mary’s High captured the silver in 1:56.72. In the Class Three 800m final, Kheime Campbell won the gold medal with a time of 2:03.07, ahead of Alfario Cunningham from Wolmer’s (2:04.61), while Marcardo Williams of JC ended third with a time of 2:05.05.
Final Boys’ points standings:
1) Kingston College 293
2) Calabar High School 229.25
3) Jamaica College 207
4) St Jago High School 135
5) Excelsior High School 78
6) Wolmer’s Boys’ School 66.75
7) Munro College 62.25
8) Edwin Allen High School 58
9) St George’s College 49
10) St Elizabeth Technical High School 47