KC's Pinnock, Edwin's Richards tipped for gold

Having Jumped 7.99 metres at the Digicel Grand Prix final two weeks ago, a distance which is better than Vere Technical's Leon Gordon 25 years old Champs record of 7.87m, Kingston College's Wayne Pinnock looks set to produce some magic in the Class One boys long jump final scheduled for 5:50 p.m. today at the 2018 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships.

Pinnock qualified easily yesterday using only one attempt to make the automatic qualifying mark of 7.00m. He jumped 7.32 out of flight one.

His teammate, Shacquille Lowe, who is expected to finish second, needed all his three attempts to get to the landmark. Lowe jumped 7.03m to qualify.

The duo from North Street will have their work cut out for them though as six other jumpers qualified automatically also.

They are: Safin Wills of Jamaica College, Alexander Thompson (Calabar), Tevin Thompson (Excelsior), Daniel Bogle Wolmer's Boys School, Owayne Owens (Cornwall College) and Daniel Allen (Calabar).

KC's long jumps coach, Jeremy Delisser was pleased with the boys' efforts.

"The goal was to qualify, ideally to get it on the first jump. Shacquille didn't get it on the first attempt but at the end of the day he got to the mark. We are all looking forward to tomorrow," Delisser said.

When asked if his athlete will be going for the record, he said : "As I always say is what you do on the day. You have to turn up and produce on the day but I feel he can better that (7.99m)."

The second final of the championships, the Class One girls discus final, could produce a record also as Fiona Richards of Edwin Allen High School has gone beyond the 53.04 record she set last year. Richards, who has a season's best of 54.95m, was qualified comfortably with a first attempt of 43.74m.

The final is scheduled for 5.05 p.m.