Shameer Blake and Oneika McAnnuff were impressive winners of their respective 400m hurdles races on Friday's penultimate day of the 2023 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Photosbybellamy
Defending champions Edwin Allen High and Kingston College are the respective girls' and boys' leaders at the end of action on the penultimate day of the 2023 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
After 22 completed finals on Friday, Edwin Allen has scored 147 points with their fierce rivals Hydel High on 131.5 points. Holmwood Technical have so far amassed 92 points while St Jago High (80) and St Catherine High (47) rounding out the top-five girls schools.
Among the boys, Kingston College, after 21 finals has scored 190 points, 30 clear of Jamaica College (160). Calabar High have 95 points. St Elizabeth Technical (54) and St Jago (37) complete the top five schools.
In the finals completed on Friday, Shameer Blake and Oneika McAnuff proved too strong for their rivals in the Class I 400m hurdles.
In the Class II event, Jamaica College’s Deandre Gayle lived up to his favourite tag to win a keenly contested race.
Blake of St. Elizabeth Technical took command of his final from the get-go and enjoyed a comfortable lead up to about 350m when Edwin Allen’s Tyrece Hyman began to close with every stride. Hyman was on Blake’s shoulder as they cleared the final hurdle but the STETHS athlete dug deep to hold Hyman off and win in 50.76.
Hyman was a close second in 51.04. He had to hold off a fast-finishing Antonio Forbes of Kingston College, who clocked 51.09 for the bronze medal.
It was the opposite for McAnnuff, the defending champion who found herself in fourth place as the hurdlers made their way down the home stretch. However, she surged to get by Tonyan Beckford of Edwin Allen and win comfortably in 56.46.
Beckford won the silver medal clocking 57.14. Hydel’s Alliah Baker, who was also ahead of McAnnuff late, faded to third in 58.37.
The Class II event was a battle royal between Gayle, Requel Reid of Calabar and Taj-Oneil Gordon of Kingston College. All three were within close proximity with just over 80m to go when Gayle surged to separate himself from the now chasing pack.
He managed to hold on and win in 52.75 over Reid who ran 53.24 for the silver medal. Gordon had to settle for the bronze having run 53.70.
Ainsley Campbell of Kingston College won the 2000m steeplechase in 6:13.57, almost five seconds ahead of Nellie Ambriton of Jamaica College, who crossed the finish line in 6:18.56. Adriano Brown of Calabar High ran 6:22.33 to claim the bronze medal.
The girls’ event went to Kaydeen Johnson of Hydel High who ran 7:15.01 to win the gold medal over Terrica Clarke of Holmwood Technical, who clocked 7:17.04 and Sanyae Gibson of Edwin Allen High, who stopped the clock at 7:27.51.
In the field, Dionjah Shaw of Edwin Allen High threw 46.27m to win the Girls Class II discuss over her teammate Shamoyea Morris, who flung the disc out to a mark of 44.95m. Marla-Kay Lambert of Clarendon College threw 43.15m for the bronze medal.
Gabrilla Treasure of St Catherine emerged the victor in a closely contested Class IV high jump for girls with a clearance of 1.55m. Campion College’s Stefvanco Henry also sailed over 1.55m but finished second on the count back.
Meanwhile, Adajah Drysdale of Wolmer’s Girl finished third after clearing 1.50m.
The Class I Girls high jump was won by Vere Technical’s Torian Caven who sailed over 1.82m. Edwin Allen’s Rasheda Samuels won the silver medal with her clearance of 1.79m and Richelle Stanley of St Elizabeth Technical picking up the bronze medal with 1.70m.
Trevon Hamel of Jamaica College picked up a valuable nine points in the Class I triple jump leaping out to 15.61m to take the gold medal.
Javar Thomas of Kingston College jumped 15.37m for the silver medal and seven points while Kesean Rhoomes of Cornwall College who established a mark of 14.50m.
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Three GC Foster student-athletes awarded Brendon Rodney Excellence scholarships
Three student-athletes from the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport were the first recipients of scholarships from the Brendon Rodney Excellence Scholarship Awards that was launched at the Canadian High Commission in Kingston on Tuesday.
Rodney, a Canadian Olympic medalist of Jamaican parentage, trains at the GC Foster College where he also serves as an adjunct lecturer. In 2022, he was a member of the Canadian 4x100m relay team that won gold at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Shantel Munroe, Selvin Stewart and Toni Ann Lindsay were the recipients of the scholarship awards that aims to foster the integration of sports and education at the GC Foster College. The scholarship is designed to support full-time students from all programmes at GC Foster College and the amount awarded to each recipient is based on an appraisal of their individual needs.
It is open to students in their second, third and fourth years between the ages of 17 and 25, who maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and should exhibit a strong sports orientation and demonstrate financial need.
Munroe, who is in the second year of her Associate Degree in Recreation and Sport Programme, was the only recipient on hand to receive her scholarship. Stewart and Lindsay were unavoidable absent. Rodney explained that both student athletes were at work which is why they were unable to attend, validating the purpose behind the scholarships.
In a prepared statement, Munroe explained why she deserved her scholarship award.
“This (Sport ) programme not only makes me a world-class coach at the end, it also makes me a great leader and how to be a multi-faceted individual. I am a very determined, dedicated, persistent motivational and responsible individual,” said the second-year student, who is also a certified boxing official and the manager of the college’s netball team.
“I take my studies seriously and whatever is thrown at me in life, I do my best to overcome it.”
Stewart is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education while Stewart is pursuing a Bachelors in Education.
“Physical Education and Sports Education is more than a career path, it is an extension of who I am as a citizen of the world and with your support and financial aid I will make my mark as a contributor to the future of Jamaica’s development in Jamaica’s Physical Education and Sport.”
Canadian High Commissioner Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic lauded the initiative by the Canadian sprinter, because “education matters and sports matter”.
“While we celebrate the presentation of scholarships to the awardees it is also my pleasure to celebrate Brendon’s work and sterling accomplishments throughout his athletic career. Brendon is recognized by many as a world-class Canadian athlete, who we now know has a tremendous passion for promotion education and sports,” she said.
“A couple weeks ago we had the chance to meet and what I was really struck by was that he is thinking ahead and he is passionate about the youth and I think this is really important because it’s not just about being good at sports, it’s also about using it to build a finer life in the direction you’re heading and this is what these scholarships are doing.”
Record-breaking Jaydon Hibbert wins SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Year awards
Jaydon Hibbert continues to rack up accolades in only his first year at the University of Arkansas. On Wednesday, the record-breaking Jamaican was named SEC Outdoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Year.
He becomes the first freshman to claim both field event honors since Mondo Duplantis of LSU in 2019.
The previous Razorback to sweep both awards was pole vaulter Andrew Irwin in 2009.
Other Arkansas Freshman Field Athlete of the Year include jumpers Nkosina Balumbu in 2006 and Tarik Batchelor in 2009. Razorbacks named Field Athlete of the Year include jumper Alain Bailey in 2009 and decathlete Ayden Owens-Delerme in 2022.
Hibbert, who also claimed the SEC Indoor Freshman of the Year accolade, broke the triple jump collegiate record by nearly 0.3m in winning the SEC Outdoor title on his second attempt in the competition.
The former Kingston College athlete’s mark of 17.87m bettered the field by more than a metre while his opening round effort of 17.02m would also have claimed the victory. In addition to breaking multiple records, four of which were set in the 1980s, Hibbert moves to equal 13th on the all-time world list, matching the career best mark by Olympic gold medallist Mike Conley from 1987.
Hibbert is the Number 2 performer with the Number 2 performance on the Jamaican all-time list, trailing only the 17.92m by James Beckford from the 1995 NJCAA Championships in Odessa, Texas.
On the Arkansas all-time list, Hibbert surpassed two of Conley’s marks that were both set in winning the 1985 NCAA title in Austin, Texas. A wind-assisted 17.71m and a wind-legal 17.54m.
His awards were among five titles won by the University of Arkansas.
Coach of the Year went to Chis Bucknam, Jaydon Hibbert collected a pair of awards – Field Athlete of the Year and Freshman Field Athlete of the Year – while Ben Shearer was named co-Freshman Runner of the Year.
Coach of the Year went to Chis Bucknam, Ben Shearer was named co-Freshman Runner of the Year and Ayden Owens-Delerme was named Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Ja's sprint legend Usain Bolt eager for World Athletics role to impact track and field
Jamaica’s Sprint Legend Usain Bolt says he remains eager to play another impactful role in track and field’s growth and, as such, is awaiting a position from World Athletics to hit the ground running.
The 36-year-old, who shot to fame by winning eight Olympic titles and 11 World Championships gold medals, while breaking records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, believes the track and field has experienced somewhat of a decline since his retirement in 2017, but stands ready to assist in the sport’s revival, if asked to do so.
“I’m still waiting on a position from (World Athletics), I’ve reached out to them and let them know I would love to make a bigger impact in sports, as long as they want me to,” Bolt said in an interview with Reuters.
“We’ve been in talks, but we’ll have to wait and see what comes around,” the global phenom and one of Jamaica’s most recognizable figures, added.
Bolt is aware that his personality was a vital ingredient in the sport’s success during his era but pointed out to indications that athletes like US sprinter Noah Lyles, might be starting to fill the charisma gap.
“It’s going to be a process. After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person and how big my personality was,” the iconic sprinter shared.
“But I think over time, it will be better. I think young athletes are coming up and I see a few personalities that are needed in sport; hopefully, in the upcoming years, it will change. Hopefully, I can play a part and help the sport to grow,” Bolt stated.
While there was some disappointment about the crowd turnout at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Bolt is of the view that next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France, could be a special moment for the sport.
“Sometimes, it’s all about where it is. America is not the biggest track and field place,” Bolt said.
“I think Paris will be big because it’s accessible and I know Paris always has a good team and good athletes over the years. So, I look forward to that,” he noted.
After a decade of Bolt-inspired global dominance, Jamaica’s men have failed to win a single track gold medal at the last two World Championships.
However, with rising young sprinters Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake both showing considerable promise of success, Bolt believes there is a good platform for that medal drought to be broken at this year’s championships in Budapest, Hungary.
“Last year, Seville came fourth (in the 100m), so I was very impressed. Also now, there’s a young kid, Ackeem Blake, who is also stepping up. So, I think that’s a good start,” the 11-time world champion said.
“Hopefully, these two will motivate other youngsters to want to step up and want to train harder and dedicate themselves,” he reasoned.
On that note, Bolt said he would be keeping a close eye on compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the World Championships in August.
Fraser-Pryce, also 36, who has led Jamaica’s dominance in the women’s sprints, will be seeking a record-extending sixth world 100m title in Hungary, 14 years after making her debut in the global showpiece of track and field.
“I follow Shelly a lot because we came through the same era, so to see her continue sprinting and coming back from having a child, that’s impressive,” said Bolt.
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