Prince becomes king of 400m

St Jago High School's Gregory Prince captured the Class One boys' 400m crown at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs), showing the composure that coach Bertland Cameron demanded of him.

Prince won the title in 45.99 seconds, ahead of Deandre Watkin of Jamaica College (JC) in 46.50. Manchester High's Shemar Palmer was third in 46.79. Prince did not surrender the lead that he gained in the final stretch, getting to have his moment which, according to Jago's boys' head coach Marlon Gayle, was years in the making in his final year of Champs.

Prince credited Cameron's training, which he describes as rigorous, for finally getting his prize.

"His training is very rough and he also told me to hold my composure in everything, schoolwork, training, everything. So I just came out here and did what I had to do," Prince said. "What can I say? I just have to thank God and everything. I just came out here and did my best."

Gayle said that the win was the perfect send-off for Prince after years of hard work.

"I think this is the perfect platform to make his transition to the next level," he said.

Kingston College's (KC) Marcinho Rose won the Class Two title in 48.03 in a one-two with teammate Tahj-Marques White, who clocked 48.39 for second. Enrique Webster of St Elizabeth Technical was third in 48.90.

Manchester High's Troydian Flemmings won the Class Three title in 50.25, ahead of Jamaica College's (JC) Samuel Creary in 51.06. Demarco Bennett of Excelsior placed third in 51.12.

KC qualified for two out of the three 4x100m finals, having gotten disqualified in their Class Three first-round heat. KC qualified for the Class One boys' final in 40.27, the fastest time among the field. They were third fastest in Class Two with 42.26, behind Calabar High (41.97) and JC (42.17). JC qualified for all three class finals, giving them chances to close the gap on KC in the points standing.

In the field, KC's Necko Reid won the Class Three boys' high jump with a distance of 1.75m on his first attempt. Calabar's Kijaun Williams also cleared at 1.75 but placed second because he needed three attempts. Zachary Merchant ensured a double podium finish for KC, finishing third with 1.70.

Class One boys' 100m champion Bryan Levell, of Edwin Allen, continued his quest for a sprint double, clocking 21.78 seconds to win his first-round heat of the Class One 200m. A sprint double is also in sight for JC Mark Anthony Miller, as the Class Two 100m champion qualified for the 200m semi-final.