The stage has been set for the 400m finals to close out day three of the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.

In the Class I Boys event, the main contenders will be Kingston College’s Shaemar Uter, St. Jago’s Gregory Prince and Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy.

Prince, who won the event at Central Champs last month, was the fastest qualifier to the final with 46.60. Kennedy, who ran 46.97 to win at last month’s Carifta Trials, ran a personal best 46.66 to finish second behind Prince in his semi-final. Uter, who represented Jamaica at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, won his semi-final comfortably in 47.10.

Kingston College is expected to score big in the Class II 400m with Marcinho Rose looking like the favorite for gold. Rose ran an easy 49.05 in his semi-final to be the fastest qualifier.

His teammate Tahj-Marques White only ran 50.74 for third in his semi-final but is expected to feature prominently in the final as he entered the championships with the fastest time of any Class II boy this year with 48.35 which he ran at a Corporate Area Development meet last month. He also ran 48.36 to win the Under-17 Boys 400m at the Carifta Trials ahead of Rose.

Also expected to be in the mix is Central Champs champion Antonio Powell of Edwin Allen who qualified second fastest with 49.30.

Jamaica College’s Samuel Creary (50.85), Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (50.83) and Manchester’s Troydian Flemmings (50.96) are expected to battle it out for the Class III title.

The Girls Class I event is expected to be a hot contest between Clarendon College’s Class II champion from 2021, Dejanea Oakley, who qualified fastest with 52.77, St. Jago’s Safhia Hinds (53.65) and Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly (53.86).

Ferncourt’s Abigail Campbell is a big favorite to add to her Class III title from 2021 in the Class II final after she ran 53.94 to qualify fastest for the final, the only girl to go below 54 seconds. Her main challengers are expected to be Hydel’s Alliah Baker (54.48) and Lacovia’s Rasheika Byfield (54.61).

Lacovia’s Carifta Trials Under-17 400m champion Sabrina Dockery (55.59) and the Holmwood Technical duo of Abriana Wright (56.10) and Rosalee Gallimore (55.84) are expected to battle it out in Class III.