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Hydel, Calabar High, JC show good early form
January 09, 2025
Former champions Hydel High among the girls and on the boys' side 28-time champions Calabar High School and 22-time winners Jamaica College (JC) sent early warning in both the field events and on the track that they will be strong in the running for top honours this season.
The schoolers' track and field season got out of the blocks over the past couple weeks and at the weekend, these schools delivered sterling performances at the Sprint Fest 200 and the Purewater R Danny Williams meets at the Ashenheim Stadium at JC; and now the stage seems set for some mouth-watering clashes leading up to the March 25-29 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships.
Edwin Allen High and Kingston College (KC) are the respective champions of the boys' and girls' Champs.
Despite it being early days, based on performances so far, signs are that a very close and competitive Championships are on the horizon as coaches of the respective top teams did not hold back their charges.
Hydel High, who won their first and only Girls Champs title in 2023, and were runners-up to Edwin Allen on several occasions including last year, had the best overall performances and looked ominous in all classes, especially in Class One, and Sabrina Atkinson and Zavean Bernard in the jumps.
Led by team captain Monique Stewart, Edwin Allen had their best performances on the track in the 800 metres where Kevongaye Fowler also dominated in Class Two. Also, Kelly Ann Carr was solid in the Class One 400m with a scorching 53.60 seconds, while Tashana Godfrey, who won the Class Three 80m hurdles, were the bright sparks for the defending champions.
In a year where they are celebrating their 100th anniversary, KC will be hoping to lift the Mortimer Geddes Trophy and make it an even more special occasion, as they aim for title number 34.
Both Calabar and Jamaica College looked solid in both track and field.
Led by Joseph Salmon, formerly of Clarendon College, and Matthew Blake in throws, along with St Vincent's J'Aiver Edahj Sean Xavai Cato and Chavez Penn in the jumps, JC look top heavy in this area. On the track, solid performances by Princewell Martin in the 400m hurdles highlighted their good performance.
Calabar High, led by Robert Miller's 51.88-second clocking in Class One 400m hurdles and Shaquane Gordon with 13.25 in the 110m hurdles were the standouts on the track for the Red Hills Road-based school. In the field they also had solid performances in the discus from the Class Two duo of Kamani Kennedy, with a meet record of 55.18m, and Blake Williams,with a personal best 47.69m.
KC's best showing on the track came in the Class One 800m where Brian Kiprop clocked 1:53.98 minutes to win the event , while in the field , Cuban Alexander Betancourt won the javelin with a throw of 57.38m for their only field events success.
Action will continue this Saturday with three meets, the Douglas Forrest Invitational at the National Stadium, the JAAA/PUMA Charlie Fuller meet at GC Foster College, and the Charlie Fuller field events meet at Manchester High School.
