Ashley ‘Felix’ Williams (centre), of Holmwood, celebrates upon winning the Class One 200m final in 24.02 secs ahead of St Jago’s Shanice Reid (left) who was third in 24.42 secs and Reid’s teammate Natalliah Whyte.
By: Sherdon Cowan - Jamaica Observer
EDWIN Allen High comfortably secured a third-consecutive girls’ title at the 106th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which culminated in spectacular fashion at the National Stadium last night.
In front of a massive crowd of approximately 30,000 spectators, the Clarendon-based team was never in any danger of relinquishing the coveted Mortimer Geddes trophy as they showed class in executing efficiently to take their fourth hold on the prestigious title.
The Michael Dyke-coached team amassed 329 points to win ahead of Hydel’s 263, with St Jago in third place on 241.50, Holmwood Technical in fourth place on 184, and Vere Technical rounding out the top five with 139 points.
Janell Fullerton of St Jago High achieved the only record on the girls’ side yesterday, when she threw 14.46 metres to win the Class One shot put final. Fullerton, the former Edwin Allen standout, erased the previous mark of 14.27 metres set by Ayesha Champagnie of St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) last year.
She won ahead of Tavia Dixon (13.61m) of Excelsior High and Sahjay Stevens (13.17m) of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).
In the exciting 4x100-metre relays, Holmwood Technical High won the Class One event in a time of 44:58 seconds, in a very tight finish ahead of St Jago (44.64s) and Edwin Allen (44.86s).
St Jago won the Class Two event in 45.29 seconds ahead of Edwin Allen (45.34s) and Holmwood Technical (46.05s), while Edwin Allen won the Class Three event in 45.84 seconds, ahead of a fast-finishing St Catherine (46.32s) and St Jago High (46.37s).
St Jago High finished tops in the girls’ and boys’ Class Four event in 47.58 seconds, followed by Hydel High who clocked in at 47.61 seconds and Manchester High (49.14s).
STETHS captured the 4x400 relay title as they clocked in 3:37.39 minutes to win ahead Hydel High (3:38.87) and Holmwood Technical (3:39.78).
Junelle Bromfield, on anchor for STETHS, achieved an exceptional feat of winning four gold medals.
Ashley ‘Felix’ Williams of Holmwood Technical, after mistiming her run in the quarter-mile event, had sweet redemption in the Class One 200-metre final which she won in 24.02 seconds. Kimone Hines (24.35s) of Green Island and Shanice Reid (24.42s) of St Jago took the minor placings.
Shaneil English turned the tables on her St Jago teammate Kimone Shaw as she ran away with the girls’ Class Two event in a time of 24.25 seconds. Shaw was second in 24.52 seconds and Kemba Nelson (24.61s) of Mount Alvernia third.
The girls’ Class Three 200 metres was won by Kevona Davis of Edwin Allen, who completed the sprint double in a time of 23.91 seconds. Julien Alfred (24.48s) of St Catherine and Britany Anderson (24.59s) of Vere Technical were second and third, respectively.
Sashieka Steele of Holmwood Technical also completed the Class Four sprint double as she clocked 25.06 seconds in a negative 2.7 metres per second wind speed. Gabrielle Matthews (25.24s) of Hydel was second with Edwin Allen’s Bethany Bridge (25.67s) in third.
The impressive Bromfield won the girls’ Class One 800 metres in 2:09.70 minutes. She won ahead of the Edwin Allen duo of Janiel Moore (2:15.47) and Asshanni Robb (2:16.73).
Vere Technical’s Britnie Dixon also completed the double as she left it late in the girls’ Class Two event in a time of 2:14.29 minutes, just edging Chrissani May (2:14.37) of Holmwood Technical with Kimone Campbell (2:15.86) of Spaldings taking the bronze.
Cemore Donald of Edwin Allen won the girls’ Class Three run in a time of 2:09.98 minutes ahead of Manchester High’s Britney Brown (2:13.49) and Shaquena Foote (2:14.67) of Petersfield.
Earlier, Bromfield clocked a World Junior leading time of 51.74 seconds to win the girls’ Class One 400 metres in commanding fashion.
Bromfield turned back the challenge of Holmwood Technical’s Williams (52.87s) with Semoy Hemmings (54.19s) closing rapidly to take the bronze.
The in-form 18-year-old also captured gold in the Class One 1,500-metre run on Friday.
Meanwhile, Sanique Walker of Vere Technical justified her favourite tag in the girls’ Class Two 400 metres in a winning time of 53.84 seconds, ahead of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) pair of Stacey-Ann Williams (54.50s) and Satanya Wright (54.89s).
The girls’ Class Three event was won by Joanne Reid of St Jago in a time of 55.63 seconds, staving off a late rush from Edwin Allen’s Silisa Palmer (55.97s), with Dorian Nelson (56.43s) of Excelsior in third.
During the morning session, Rushelle Burton mined Camperdown High’s first gold medal of the meet when she won the girls’ Class One 100-metre hurdles in a time of 13.73 seconds in a negative 2.8 metres per second wind speed. Nicolee Foster (13.77s) of Holmwood Technical was second with St Jago’s Andrenette Knight (13.91s) in third.
Daszay Freeman (13.69s) and Sidney Marshall (13.74s) handed Manchester High a one-two finish in the girls’ Class Two 100-metre hurdles with Shanette Allison (13.96s) of Holmwood Technical in third.
