Jamaica College

Johnson scored 5973 points to take victory over Calabar’s Dishaun Lamb who scored 5521 points.

Shamar Coke of Excelsior took the bronze medal with his 10-event score of 4962 points.

Johnson’s victory saw KC take the lead after 18 completed finals with 133 points to Jamaica College’s 124.5.

Heading into day four, Calabar has 80 points while STETHS are fourth with 80 points, many of them coming from their sweep of the 100m events. St Jago completes the top-five with 56 points.

Meanwhile, after 23 finals, Edwin Allen continues to lead the girls with 184 points. St Jago comes next with 158 with Hydel, Holmwood and Wolmer’s following with 132, 63.50 and 45 points, respectively.

STETHS reigned supreme in the 100m events with Sachin Dennis capping off the dominance with an impressive win the Class I final. Dennis, who has seemingly recovered from a long-term injury and rumours about a possible move to Bahrain, stormed to victory in 10.53s over a fast-finishing Antonio Watson of Petersfield High who clocked 10.58 for second. KC’s Bouwaghie Nkrumie was third 10.65.

With the victory, Dennis has now won the 100m title in classes 3, 2 and 1.

Earlier, his schoolmate Orlando Wint won the Class 2 title in 10.76 in a STETHS 1-3 as Javorne Dunkley was third in 11.01. Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin won the silver medal in 10.79.

It all began when Tramaine Todd raced to a comfortable victory in the Class 3 sprint in 11.03.  KC’s Nicardo Johnson ran 11.28 for second while Vere’s Malik Carridice was third in 11.40.

No one team dominated the girls’ blue-ribbon sprints but there was some drama in the Class 2 event when medal favourite Tia Clayton of Edwin Allen was disqualified for a false start. With tears in her eyes, her twin sister Tina stormed to a record-breaking victory in 11.38s.

Hydel’s Kerrica Hill and Alana Reid took second and third in 11.61 and 11.65, respectively.

Edwin Allen’s Brandy Hall won the Class I title in 11.72 over Shenese Walker of Hydel, who clocked  11.86.  Holmwood Technical’s Shashieka Steele was third in 11.88.

 Rusea’s Lavanga Williams won the Class 3 event in 12.18 seconds leaving Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel in her wake. The latter ran 12.37 with Bryana Davidson of St Jago finishing third in 12.47.

Theianna-Lee Terrelonge became the Class 4 champion when she won in 12.53.r Poshanna-Lee Blake of St Jago was second in 12.74. Marria Crossfield of Vere ran 12.85 for third.

Chevonne Hall of Edwin Allen won the Class 1 Boys event clocking 3:59.70. Kingston College’s Aron Tanui ran him closing finishing in 3:59.86 for the silver medal. Jamaica College’s Handal Roban won the bronze medal, crossing the finish line in 4:01.48.

Jamaica College enjoyed 1-2 finish in the Class 2 race that was won by Khandale Frue in 4:12.16. Kemarrio Bygrave ran 4:13.26 to claim the silver medal.

Alex Taylor of St Jago clocked 4:14.60 for third and the bronze medal.

Jamaica College also won the Class 3 1500 when Tyrone Lawson outclassed the field to cross the finish line in 4:16.71. Maggotty’s Charehon Connally was more than five seconds back in 4:21.84 but still won the silver medal.

Calabar’s Rhsaune Johnson ran 4:29.35 to take the bronze medal.

Among the girls, Edwin Allen picked up points in all three races to maintain a comfortable buffer between themselves and their fiercest challenges, St. Jago, who won the Class 1 event in the form of Sancia Smith.

Smith took the gold medal when she ran 4:44.24. Her teammate Aleshia Douglas ran 4:49.20 to win the silver medal. However, Edwin Allen’s Jessica McLean clocked 4;49.68 for the bronze medal.

Edwin Allen collected even more points in the Class 2 event that Rickeisha Simms won in 4:36.62. Holmwood Technical’s Jodyann Mitchell was second in 4:42.69 with Shone Walters of St. Mary winning the bronze medal with her time of 4:43.60.

Holmwood’s Andrene Peart won the Class 3 title when she outran her opponents to win in 4:50.36. Cindy Rose, also from Holmwood took second place when she crossed in 4:52.23 with St Jago’s Sushana Johnson running 4:54.82 for the bronze medal.

The competition was just as fierce in the field where Jaidi James of Jamaica College won the high jump with a clearance of 1.86. Edward Sterling of Wolmer’s soared over 1.80m for second place with KC’s Roshawn Onfroy taking the bronze medal with his best effort of 1.80m.

Meantime, Edwin Allen’s Serena Cole won the Class 2 long jump after leaping out to a distance of 6.10m. Aaliyah Foster of Mount Alvernia won the silver medal with her jump of 5.90m. St Jago’s Kay-Lagay Clarke leapt 5.76m to win the bronze medal.

St Jago’s Latavia Galloway won the javelin competition throwing 41.95m while Edwin Allen’s Shenelia Williams threw 37.02 for second place. Jamora Alves of St Jago threw 35.92m for the bronze.

STETHS with 41.32 were joint fastest qualifiers alongside Florida’s IMG Academy. Kingston College was next fastest with a 41.72 clocking to win their heat. Wolmer’s Boys (41.79) and Jamaica College (41.85) also advanced as heat winners. Camperdown (42.03) and St. Jago (42.03) will also be in the Championship of America final scheduled for Friday.

The High School Boys International final, also scheduled for Friday, will feature seven Jamaican schools as well as one each from the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago.

St. George’s College, Calabar, Excelsior, Herbert Morrison, St. Catherine High, Edwin Allen and William Knibb all advanced as well as Queen’s Royal College from Port-of-Spain and St. Augustine’s from Nassau.

In the 4x800m, Kingston College and STETHS both advanced to the final set for Friday.

KC won their heat in 7:54.79 while STETHS recorded 7:55.96 to finish second in their heat behind Charlotte Catholic (7:54.44).

Defending champions Jamaica College originally ran 7:49.29 to comfortably win their heat but were subsequently disqualified after it was revealed that they used an ineligible runner.

In the field, Calabar’s Kobe Lawrence won the High School Boys shot put with 20.43m ahead of St. Rose’s Joshua Huisman (19.40m) and St. Jago’s Shaiquan Dunn (18.07m).

JC’s Raquil Broderick was third in the discus with 61.92m behind University Garden’s Nathan Villegas -Reyes (62.49m) and Southern Regional’s Fabian Gonzalez (61.94m).

St. Jago’s Demario Prince jumped out to 7.42m to win the long jump ahead of Archbishop John Carroll’s Camren Williams (7.32m) and KC’s Nathan Wade (7.22m).

Three men cleared 1.98m in the high jump with the KC pair of Isaiah Patrick and Aaron McKenzie finishing second and third, respectively, behind Bloomfield’s Ja’Mari Manson.

JC’s Gabriel Lim won the javelin with 61.24m ahead od Danville’s Bronson Krinak (60.31) and Riverside’s Joseph Reed (59.26).

15.17m was the winning mark in the triple jump by JC’s Trevon Hammer. Potomac’s Ty’heak Buie produced 14.88m for second while KC’s Javar Thomas was third with 14.81m.

The curtains fittingly came down on the day with the much-anticipated 100 metres, where three records were broken, two by Wolmer’s Girls representatives Natrece East and Tiana Marshall in Classes three and two respectively.

It was those performances that assisted in pushing the Heroes Circle girls to the summit on 150 points, three ahead of defending champions Excelsior on 147, with Immaculate High (133 points), The Queen’s School (77 points) and St Andrew High (61 points), complete the top five heading into Saturday’s final day.

On the boys’ side, Kingston College, on 146 points, opened up a 25-point gap on rivals Calabar, on 121 points, with Jamaica College in third on 109 points. Excelsior (56 points) and Wolmer’s Boys (52 points) occupy the other top five positions.

Earlier, East gave the 100m series an explosive start when she stopped the clock in a new meet record of 11.67s to top the girls’ Class three event. Immaculate’s Kayla Johnson (11.93s) and Tashika Thompson (12.43s) of Excelsior, were second and third respectively.

Marshall, also of Wolmer’s Girls then topped the girls’ Class two event in a meet record of 11.94s, in a negative 1.3 metres per second wind reading. Tashay Faulkner (12.32s) of Alpha Academy was second, with Immaculate’s Shevi-Anne Shim (12.33s) in third.

The Wolmer’s Girls sweep of the top three classes was completed by Mickayla Gardener, who successfully defended her Class one title and secured her ninth Corporate Area Championship medal. She recovered from a stumbling start to win in 12.21s, ahead of Excelsior’s Sharlla Whittaker (12.56s) and Abigail Watt (12.56s) of St Andrew High.

Meanwhile, Mario Ross of Wolmer’s Boys, became the first Class three athlete to clock a sub-11 time at the championship, when he stopped the clock in a meet record 10.99s. His time ran in a negative 1.1 wind reading, saw him finish ahead of Kingston College’s Orandy Campbell (11.41s) and Naethan Bryan (11.42s) of St George’s College.

The soft-spoken Ross expressed surprise at the time.

“I am very surprised that I ran that fast because I have been trying hard to get there since the start of the season and it wasn’t happening. But my teammates believed in me and told me I could do it and I finally did it, so I am happy,” he said shortly after catching his breath.

The boys’ Class two event was won by Excelsior’s Malike Nugent, who clocked a personal best 10.75s in a negative 1.2 wind speed. Nugent upset his more fancied rivals Nyrone Wade (10.79s) of Kingston College, and Tyreece Foreman (10.90s) of St George’s College.

Finally, Kingston College’s Yourie Clarke, signalled a return to form, as he clocked a personal best-equalling 10.55s to win the boys’ Class one 100m, ahead of Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (10.59s), who is contesting his first year in the class. Damor Miller (10.63s) of Excelsior, was third.

NB: Action of Saturday’s final day of the Corporate Area Championships will be live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.

This, as all the main protagonists booked their spot in the finals after topping their semi-finals on Friday’s third day of action.

Title favourites Edwin Allen High will be the team to beat on the girls’ side, as they clocked an easy 3:44.08 to advance.

Wolmer’s Girls (3:47.06); Holmwood Technical (3:45.01); Excelsior High (3:48.22); Hydel High (3:45.03); Vere Technical (3:48.73); Alphansus Davis (3:51.76) and St Catherine High (3:53.45) are the other finalists, who will be seeking to upstage their fancied rivals.

Meanwhile, boys’ favourites Kingston College also led the qualifiers on their side. They were comfortable in 3:15.95, with Jamaica College (3:16.81), Calabar High (3:18.60) and Excelsior High (3:18.72), expected to be their main competition for the coveted gold medal.

However, William Knibb Memorial (3:16.73), Edwin Allen High (3:16.89), Clarendon College (3:18.69) and Herbert Morrison Technical (3:19.39), will be hoping to spoil their party.

The 50^th Anniversary Awards Banquet was held to recognize the outstanding schools who dominated this year’s edition of the meet, which was held on May 8 at the National Stadium in Kingston, as well as honor some of the longest serving officials, committee members and sponsors.

Founded by the late Neville "Teddy" McCook in 1973, the meet has served as the premier relay carnival on Jamaican soil for half a century, which is not something to overlook.

“50 years in the life of any individual or organization is an achievement,” said Chairman of the Gibson McCook Relays organizing committee, Professor Rainford Wilks.

“Organizing and executing a relay carnival with multiple participants requires more than dreams and values. To consistently execute the event on schedule is no mean achievement. These are some of the characteristics of the Gibson McCook Relays that have made it famous and a staple in the Jamaican track & field diet,” Wilks added.

Former Jamaica Olympic Association President, The Hon. Mike Fennell, was the guest speaker for the evening and used his time at the podium to encourage people to understand the value of sport to the country.

“We should never undervalue the contribution of sports to brand Jamaica,” he said.

“In Jamaica, and in many other parts of the world, sport is recognized mainly because of an event, whether it’s Champs, the Olympic Games or the Commonwealth Games but sport is far more than that. Sport is something that contributes to the economy; sport is something that contributes to both physical and mental health; sports contributes to tourism and so on,” he added.

Fennell also relayed a message to the athletes themselves, encouraging them to “never lose your values.”

Now, onto the honorees of the evening, starting with Hydel High who took home the biggest prize as the best overall performing school.

Hydel, who also went on to claim their first ever Girls Champs title a few weeks later, also took home the best performing girls school and the championship events record breaker awards.

Jamaica College took home the prize as the top performing school on the boys side.

Some of the evening’s other honorees included Custos of St. Andrew, Ian Forbes, as well as Audley Hewett, who has been on the organizing committee since inception. The meet’s two longest serving sponsors, Child’s Play and Nestle, were also recognized.