A five-time Carifta gold medalist, 2011 Pan Am Junior 100m champion and World U20 100 and 200m champion in 2012, things were looking up for the young Bahamian.
However, the intervening years have not been as kind. Injuries and a subsequent loss of confidence derailed the promising start to Strachan’s career and raised doubts about whether she would ever fulfil her promise.
“It’s actually very tough because you start to ridicule and judge yourself and then you go on social media and you see people judging you,” said Strachan, who is now 28 and having her best season in a decade.
“I haven’t PB’ed in 10 years so I see people telling me that I need to hang it up, get a 9-5, all sorts of stuff but nobody knows what happens when the lights are off so I try not to take it to heart but it’s sort of difficult to judge yourself and also have people out there judging you.”
So far, 2022 has been good to her. She opened up with a personal best of 10.99 in the 100m at the John Wolmer Speed Fest on March 26 at the National Stadium in Kingston, where she trains with the MVP Track Club and then on Saturday, April 23, she ran 22.55 to win the 200m against a field that included multiple Olympic and World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Yes, the Pocket Rocket did slow noticeably over the last 50m but when you take into consideration the fact that Strachan ran a spectacular 23.24 into a -5.00 m/s wind at the Bermuda Games on April 9, you understand that the time she ran on Saturday night was no fluke.
So what exactly has brought about this pleasantly surprising return to form for the talented Bahamian sprinter?
She reveals that she accepted help and stopped putting pressure on herself to succeed.
“Because I had so many injuries it was difficult for me to trust coaching and other people or even trust myself and my coach told me to let somebody in to actually help me to help myself and that is what I have been trying to do this season,” she confessed.
“I stopped judging myself so hard and stopped piling on so many things and taking it one stride at a time.”
Strachan began to show a return to form in 2021 when she ran the 100m in 11.30, her best time since 2012 and 22.56 over 200m, her best time since 2014. She also made it to the semi-finals of the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics.
However, she had no idea that 2022 would have begun on a positive note.
“I bragged and boasted about opening up with a 10, but that was BS so now that it has actually happened I have sort of put it out there in the atmosphere and it sort of came through,” she said admitting that she is now a lot more confident than she has been during the past decade.
“It gives me plenty of confidence. I am trying to run all the times I can run right now to put myself in a better standpoint before the big girls come out to play.”
The 18-year-old Arkansas freshman, who already won the SEC and NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles this season, produced a best effort of 17.68m, a stadium record, for the win. Jordan Scott was second with a best jump of 16.32m.
Hibbert will enter the Budapest World Championships in August as one of the favorites for gold. He is currently the world leader in the event courtesy of his personal best and world under-20 record 17.87m done to win the SEC outdoor title in May.
Though ranked in the top 25 at joint 16th with his personal best mark of 2.27m, achieved at the NCAA finals in Austin, Texas last month, Beckford is by no means satisfied with his current position, as he wants to make certain of his spot in Budapest, Hungary next month.
The 20-year-old made the declaration after topping rivals in the high jump finals on Friday’s second day of action at the National Stadium.
His first-time clearance at 2.23m bettered MVP’s Christoff Bryan, who also cleared 2.23m, on a countback, while dethroned national champion Lushane Wilson (2.15m) of GC Foster College.
“This is my second year jumping as a senior, so it is really exciting to know to have won my first senior championship on this occasion and I am just excited about the win,” said Beckford, formerly of University of South Florida, who contested the event as an unattached athlete.
“But I am still trying to work on getting the (Automatic World Championships) height and at the same time, I am also trying to get as much points as possible so I can stay in the points ranking,” he added.
To say that it has been a very successfully season for Beckford so far, would be a great understatement, as he completed the double of the NCAA outdoor and indoor championship honours, with this national title, now topping the cards.
Beckford attributes those achievements to the experienced gained last year, particularly at the Commonwealth Games where he finished among the top eight finalists.
“The biggest thing for me was garnering all that experience last year, jumping with the seniors at the Commonwealth Games as well, I think it kind of boost my confidence to know that I can really get to the top by virtue of not only jumping with some top jumpers, but also finish close to them. So, I am just using that experience and just trying to fulfill my goals,” he shared.
Such was his confidence and form coming into the championships that even the strong winds that swept across the Stadium, couldn’t through Beckford off his rhythm.
“Most of track and field is a mental thing, just as it is physical, so you just have to keep your mind ready at all times for any condition and it is just how you execute on the day, so I just kept my mind steady and adjusted to the conditions,” Beckford noted.
That said, the soft-spoken pointed out that getting to and, by extension, producing a quality performance at the World Championships, marks the first target on his list of ambitions.
“That’s one of my biggest objectives because from Germaine Mason stopped jumping for Jamaica, we haven’t had a high jumper qualify for the Olympic Games. So that’s what I am working on to make sure I am one of those high jumpers that will perform on the biggest stage for Jamaica, so I am trying to pick up the legacy and set a good trend for myself,” Beckford ended.
Riddle,18, proved too good for rivals in the Under-20 girls’ triple jump, as she required only three jumps to achieve the winning mark of 12.69m in a 1.2 metres per second wind reading. She was just outside her personal best of 12.96m.
Jade-Ann Dawkins of St Jago was expected to make things interesting, but she struggled to find rhythm before eventually cutting the sand at a best mark of 12.63m in a 0.8 metres per second reading, while Jade-Ann Smith (12.22m) of Excelsior, was third.
Immaculate Conception’s Zoelle Jamel won the girls’ Under-17 javelin throw with a mark of 43.75m, ahead of Alliah Gittens of Edwin Allen, who achieved a best mark of 31.27m in the two-athlete contest.
Tarique Daley of Calabar launched the javelin to 54.72m to win the boys’ Under-17 event, ahead of Edwin Allen’s Dylan Logan (45.61m) and Alex Benjamin (43.41m) of Titchfield High.
The girls’ Under-20 javelin event only attracted two competitors and was won by Sheniela Williams of Edwin Allen. She launched the instrument to 36.14m to better Tamecia Binda of Dinthill Technical, who only mustered 28.36m.
Rohanna Sudlow of St Catherine High topped the girls; Under-18 long jump, as she cut the sand at the winning mark of 6.03m on her second attempt. She finished ahead of the Excelsior High pair of Shelley Ann Taylor (5.63m) and Xavi Harvey (5.24m).
Elsewhere in the field, St Jago’s Abigail Martin finished tops in the girls’ Under-20 discus throw, after achieving a best mark of 53.55m. She won ahead of the Johnson sisters Britannia Johnson (48.88m) and Britannie (43.74m).
Meanwhile, on the track, St Elizabeth Technical’s Javorne Dunkley headlined qualifiers to the semi-finals of the boys’ Under-20 100m, with a comfortable 10.28s-clocking.
Jeevan Newby of Motorcade Track Club was the next best qualifier at 10.39s, while Camperdown’s Junior Harris (10.45s), Orlando Wint (10.59s), also of St Elizabeth Technical and Excelsior’s Damor Miller (10.40s), are also in contention for the national title.
Hill, who already won gold in the 100m on Wednesday, broke her own record of 12.89 which she set in the semi-finals on Friday. Her teammate Shania Myers was second in 13.27 and St. Catherine’s Asharria Ulett finished third in 13.35.
Hydel’s Malayia Duncan ran 10.38 to smash the Class IV Girls 70m Hurdles record and win gold ahead of Edwin Allen’s Arihanna Brown (10.58) and St. Jago’s Rihanna Anderson (10.62).
St. Jago’s Camoy Binger was next in line, blazing to a new record 10.87 to win the Class III 80m Hurdles ahead of her teammate Bryana Davidson (11.06) and Hydel’s Jody Ann Daley (11.18).
Oneka Wilson made it three records in the sprint hurdles for Hydel and four overall with a 13.00 clocking to win the Class I 100m Hurdles final ahead of Petersfield’s Alexis James (13.21) and Gabrielle Matthews of the Queen’s School (13.45).
Tahj-Oneil Gordon of KC won the Boys Class III 100m Hurdles final in 13.30 ahead of JC’s Javion Pladley (13.65) and Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (13.76).
KC secured a one-two finish in the Class II 110m Hurdles with Jadan Campbell (13.67) and Kaheim Carby (13.68) finishing ahead of Daniel Wright of Excelsior (13.82).
St. Jago’s Jahvel Granville ran 13.56 to win the Class I Boys 110m Hurdles ahead of Calabar’s Dishaun Lamb (13.56) and KC’s Tajae Francis (13.75).
Moving into the field, KC’s Aaron McKenzie set a new record of 2.11m to win the Boys Class II High Jump ahead of JC’s Chavez Penn (2.00m) and KC’s Aaron Thomas (1.95m).
JC’s Zachary Campbell was also in record-breaking form in the Boys Class II Discus Throw with 56.49 to win ahead of KC’s Antwon Walkin (47.43m) and JC’s Delangelo Jackson (47.02m).
Shemonique Hazel of Hydel won gold in the Class III Girls Long Jump with 6.27m ahead of Excelsior’s Shelley-Ann Taylor (5.71m) and St. Jago’s Briana Campbell (5.71m).
Camperdown’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.06m to win the Girls Class I Shot Put ahead of St. Jago’s Jamora Alves (13.82m) and St. Catherine High’s Natalie Albert (13.40m).
Hill, who ran 11.16 to win gold in the 100m on Wednesday, equaling the record set by former Edwin Allen star Kevona Davis in 2018, sped to a brilliant 12.89 to break former Excelsior and current Baylor University sprint hurdler Ackera Nugent’s Class II record of 12.91 set in 2019. Hill’s time is also equaled Nugent’s world Under-18 record set at the Youngster Goldsmith Classic in the same year.
St. Catherine High’s Asharria Ulett was second fastest in qualifying with 13.28 while Hill’s Hydel teammate Shania Myers was third with 13.56.
Petersfield’s Carifta Trials Under-20 champion Alexis James ran 13.40 to be the fastest qualifier to the Class I final ahead of Hydel’s Oneka Wilson (13.54) and Manchester’s Janela Spencer (13.58)
The St. Jago pair of Bryana Davidson (11.04) and Camoy Binger (11.08) were fastest to advance to the Class III 80m Hurdles final ahead of Excelsior’s Shelley-Ann Taylor (11.34).
Qualifiers for the Class IV 70m Hurdles final were led by Edwin Allen’s Arihanna Brown (10.76), Hydel’s Malayia Duncan (10.79) and Immaculate Conception’s Ayanna Blake (10.83).
Kingston College’s Taj-Oneil Gordon led all qualifiers to the Class III Boys 100m Hurdles final with a swift 13.56. Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (13.62) and Jamaica College’s Javion Pladley (13.75) were the only other qualifiers below 14 seconds.
The fastest qualifier to the Boys Class II 110m Hurdles final was KC’s Jadan Campbell with 13.67 ahead of Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (13.68) and KC’s Kaheim Carby (13.71).
JC’s Jaheim Stern was fastest in the Class I 110m Hurdles semis with 13.67 ahead of St. Jago’s Jahvel Granville (13.69) and Excelsior’s Sharvis Simmonds (13.77).
Herbert Morrison’s DeAndre Daley, who ran 10.55 to win at the Western Championships last week, was the fastest qualifier to Saturday’s final with a time of 10.30.
National Junior Champion Sandrey Davison of St. Catherine High was second fastest with 10.32, while Edwin Allen standout and finalist in the Men’s 100m at the National Senior Championships in 2021, Bryan Levell, was third fastest with 10.39. Jeevan Newby, running unattached (10.41), Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College (10.55), Hector Benjamin of Jamaica College (10.57) and the St. Jago pair of Deshaun Gordon (10.59) and Odaine Crooks (10.61) make up the full field for Saturday’s final.
Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (10.71), Gary Card of Wolmer’s (10.85) and Romario Hines of Spot Valley (10.98) were the fastest qualifiers to the Boys Under-17 100m final.
Edwin Allen’s Tia and Tina Clayton with times of 11.39 and 11.41 were the second and third fastest qualifiers to the Girls Under-20 100m final, respectively. Hydel’s Kerrica Hill was the fastest qualifier at 11.31.
The qualifiers for the Girls’ Under-17 final were led by Edwin Allen’s Theianna Lee Terrelonge (11.73), Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (11.76) and St. Jago’s Camoy Binger (11.78).
J’Voughnn Blake of JC won the Boys Under-20 1500m in 3:55.45 ahead of STETHS’s Adrian Nethersole (3:59.91) and his JC teammate Omarion Davis (4:01.04). The Girls’ equivalent was won by Holmwood Technical’s Jody Ann Mitchell in 4:37.18 ahead of Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms (4:37.50) and St Mary High’s Shone Walters (4:37.51).
The multiple time Olympic and World Championship medallist ran 51.29 to win section B of the Women’s 400m ahead of Candice McLeod (51.78) and Anthonique Strachan (52.89).
Ashley Williams won section A in 53.90 ahead of Odeshia Nanton (54.39) and Yanique McNeil (54.82).
Anthony Cox won section B of the Men’s 400m in 46.13 ahead of Zandrian Barnes (46.18) and Akani Slater (46.71).
There were only two competitors in the Women’s 400m Hurdles which saw two-time Olympic finalist Janieve Russell run 56.40 to win ahead of Junelle Bromfield who ran 56.61.
2019 Men's World Long Jump champion Tajay Gayle opened his season with 7.97 to win the event ahead of Emmanuel Archibald (7.93) and Shawn-D Thompson (7.92).
Daley sped to a personal best 10.23 to win the Boys event ahead of Jamaican teammate Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.28) and Zachary Evans of the Bahamas (10.45).
Clayton won the Girls equivalent in 11.22 ahead of her twin sister Tia (11.30) and T&T’s Shaniqua Bascombe (11.57).
The Girls U-17 100m was won in impressive fashion by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands in 11.29, miles ahead of Shatalya Dorsett of the Bahamas (11.80) and Jamaica’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (11.87).
Antigua and Barbuda’s Dwayne Fleming won the Boys U-17 equivalent in 10.72 ahead of Jamaica’s Gary Card (10.75) and St. Vincent’s Keo Davis (10.77).
Moving on to the 400m, Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy (46.66) and Shemar Palmer (46.97) secured first and second place ahead of St. Vincent’s Amal Glasgow (47.06) in the U-20 Boys final.
Jamaica secured another 1-2 finish in the U-20 Girls with Kaylia Kelly (52.32) and Oneika McAnuff (52.52) securing the top two spits ahead of Bermuda’s Caitlyn Bobb (53.12).
The Jamaican pair of Marcinho Rose (48.41) and Tajh-Marques White (48.82) secured another quinella for the hosts in the U-17 Boys section ahead of Kaiyin Morris of Trinidad and Tobago (49.01).
Jamaica’s Abigail Campbell comfortably won the Girls U-17 section in 53.83 ahead of Guyana’s Narissa Mohammed (55.39) and Jamaica’s Quana Walker (55.65).
In the 1500m, Jamaica secured the top two spots in the U-20 Boys as J'Voughnn Blake (4:00.04) and Adrian Nethersole (4:01.45) finished ahead of Trinidad and Tobago's Troy Llanos (4:01.47).
The U-20 Girls had a similar outcome as Jamaica's Rickeisha Simms (4:44.18) and Samantha Pryce (4:44.77) took gold and silver ahead of Barbados' Layla Haynes (4:45.10).
The Boys U-17 equivalent was won by Trinidad & Tobago's Keeran Sriskandarajah in 4:10.58 ahead of Guyana's Javon Roberts (4:12.54) and Jamaica's Yashon Bowen (4:13.15).
Guyana's Attoya Harvey took gold in the Girls U-17 section with 4:45.75) ahead of T&T's Kayleigh Forde (4:52.14) and Jamaica's Kededra Coombs (4:52.19).
Moving into the field, Jamaica's Kobe Lawrence (60.77) and Christopher Young (54.30) secured gold and silver in the U-20 boys discus. T&T's Jaden James threw 52.28m for bronze.
T&T's Aaron Antoine won gold in the Boys U-20 high jump with a 2.16m clearance ahead of Jamaica's Brandon Pottinger (2.14m) and St. Vincent's Verrol Sam (2.00m).
Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands took gold in the Boys U-17 long jump with 6.76m ahead of T&T's Andrew Steele (6.61m) and Jamaica's Euan Young (6.60m).
Jamaica's Cedricka Williams threw 51.24 to win the Girls U-20 discus ahead of her teammate Brittania Johnson (49.74m) and Guadeloupe's Princesse Hyman (47.55m).
Come March 1, and continuing to mid-July, the government through an initiative via the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, athletes who have qualified or are on the brink of qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, will receive J$20,000 per week towards their preparation, to be disbursed on a monthly basis.
The cash is to assist the athletes to offset costs relating to coaching and training, transportation, physiotherapy and massage therapy, nutrition, and other associated needs. In addition, the Jamaica Athletes Insurance Plan (JAIP) is available to assist with medical treatments that the athletes may require.
Minister Olivia Grange made the announcement on Sunday evening at the unveiling of the statue in honour of four-time Olympian and two-time world-record holder Asafa Powell at Independence Park in Kingston.
However, there is a catch.
“The athletes selected to benefit from this programme must be certified by the local governing body for the sporting discipline to which they belong as well as by the National Olympic Committee and the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA),” Minister Grange said.
She said her ministry was in the process of finalising the details of the programme in consultation with the respective national sports federations.
“The success of this programme will be dependent on input and information provided by the national sports governing bodies and so look forward to their full cooperation in this regard,” he said.
“We already know that within gymnastics and aquatics, there are athletes that have achieved the qualifying standard and, of course, our track and field athletes will also be on show in Tokyo, but we continue to cheer on and give support to our hopefuls in boxing, karate, canoeing, rugby, table tennis and rowing.”
The minister made the appeal during Tuesday’s launch of the event at the National Stadium in Kingston, which hosted the 49th Carifta Games that concluded on Monday.
“Between May 2 and 4 we will have the Eastern Championships at Stadium East to start us off, followed by the Central Championships between May 9 and11 at the GC Foster College, then the Western Championships at STETHS between May 12 and14 culminating with the grand finale, the inaugural staging of the National Athletics Junior Championships for Boys and Girls in the National Stadium from May 26 to May 28,” the minister said in outlining the schedule for the build-up to the championships.
“I am making an appeal to the private sector to provide sponsorship for these Championships in the same way support is given to the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships. There will be as many as 500 participating schools and so I am inviting the private sector to come on board now with support for the primary-level event.”
The minister said the government has invested a lot in the development of sports in the country but it is unable to go it alone, hence the need for additional support for the championship that has proven to be the crucible from which so many of Jamaica’s athletic stars have emerged.
“Over time, the Government has invested millions of dollars at the primary school level in track and field and (Institute of Sports) INSPORTS can take credit for laying the foundation on which the careers of many of our outstanding athletes have been built,” she said.
“Athletes the likes of World and Olympic 100m gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Olympic and World 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker, Olympic bronze medalist, Warren Weir, 2008 Olympic 100m silver and 200m bronze medalist Kerron Stewart, CARIFTA Games Under-17 200m champion and record-holder Jazeel Murphy, and 2007 World Youth 200m champion Ramone McKenzie and many others.
“More recent stand-out athletes to have competed at Primary School Champs have been Christopher Taylor, Tyreke Wilson, Raheem Chambers and Brianna Lyston. In the just-concluded CARIFTA Games, Jamaica won a record 92 medals. It begins at INSPORTS.”
Jamaica’s U-20 Boys team comprising Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Deandre Daley and Sandrey Davison were also impressive with a Carifta record 39.15 to win gold ahead of the Bahamas (40.41) and the Cayman Islands (40.72).
Camoy Binger, Bryana Davison, Shemonique Hazle and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge combined to win Jamaica’s third sprint relay gold of the evening in the U-17 Girls section in 45.38 ahead of the Bahamas (47.13) and Trinidad & Tobago (48.19).
The hosts completed a clean sweep of the sprint relays as Jadan Campbell, Gary Card, Rickoy Hunter and Shaquane Gordon combined to dominate the Boys U-17 section in 41.74 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (42.77) and the Cayman Islands (43.40).
Moving into the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands won gold in the U-17 Girls section in 58.61 ahead of the Jamaican pair Jody-Ann Daley (1:02.22) and Deandra Harris (1:02.26).
Jamaica secured gold and silver in the U-20 Girls section through Sahfia Hinds (58.96) and Shackelia Green (59.77). Trinidad & Tobago’s Natasha Fox was third in 1:02.35.
The hosts once again swept the top two places in the Boys U-17 section thanks to Princewell Martin (53.00) and Jordan Mowatt (54.40) while Jermahd Huggins of St. Kitts & Nevis took third in 55.57.
Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won gold in the U-20 Boys section in 50.68 ahead of Shamiar Bain of the Bahamas (52.83) and Craig Prendergast of Antigua & Barbuda (55.08).
Moving into the field, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn cleared 2.05m to win the U-17 Boys high jump ahead of Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands (2.00m) and Jamaica’s Aaron McKenzie (1.95m).
Penn was also victorious in the triple jump with 14.63m to win ahead of teammate Euan Young (14.41m) and Jonathan Rogers of the Bahamas (13.99m).
The British Virgin Islands’ emerging star and 100m champion Adaejah Hodge continued her stellar showing at the Games so far with gold in the U-17 Girls long jump with a distance of 6.20m ahead of Jamaica’s Shemonique Hazle (5.85m) and Rohanna Sudlow (5.65m).
Williams reeled in American Lynna Irby-Jackson in the final stages of the race to win in 50.86. Irby-Jackson’s time in second was 51.05 while Charokee Young was third in 51.86.
“It has been a season of many ups and downs so to get the win tonight, it feels pretty good. I’m excited about the time. It’s a stepping stone to national trials,” Williams said after the race.
Williams says there are still things she needs to work on before she can compete with the top runners in the world.
“There’s always things to work on. The times for the other women are way ahead and I feel like I want to be where they are so I have so many things to work on going forward,” she said.
The men’s equivalent was won by Nigeria’s Bamidele, the 2023 NCAA 400m champion, in 45.49, narrowly ahead of reigning national 400m hurdles champion Roshawn Clarke who ran a season’s best 45.57 in second and Zandrion Barnes who ran 45.62 for third.
“I think the preparation for me is the same. I have the same mindset; the same goals. I’m trying to get better every single day,” Bamidele said after the race.
“I’m trying to learn from my mistakes in every race. I’m hoping to break my personal best before the end of the season,” he added.
James-King became the second fastest Jamaican in the history of the event with a massive personal best 47.42, almost a full second faster than his previous personal best of 48.39 done earlier this season, to claim the win.
National and World junior record holder and World Championship finalist Roshawn Clarke ran 48.04 in second while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jaheel Hyde ran 48.35 for third.
“I just executed my race as best as I could,” James-King said after his stunning performance.
“I was just focusing on how I train, taking every hurdle as they come. I wasn’t really watching anyone and just running my race,” he added.
Regarding the time, James-King said he’s more excited than surprised.
Clarke was happy to get on his first Olympic team.
“The strategy tonight was to execute as best I could, get myself in the top three and make the team and work from there,” he said.
“I wanted to go faster but I made the team so I can’t complain,” he added.
Russell, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, produced a season’s best 53.75 to hold off the fast finishing Andrenette Knight (53.78) and Rushell Clayton (53.81) who finished second and third.
For Knight, this serves as redemption. Last year, she missed out on a national title after falling with 100m to go in the final after leading the whole race.
On the men’s side, Roshawn Clarke produced one of the performances of the Championships to win his maiden national senior crown.
Clarke, still only 19, brought the National Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant, world junior record-equaling 47.85. Clarke’s time also puts him second on Jamaica’s all-time list for the event behind Winthrop Graham’s 47.60 done in 1993.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist and three-time national champion, Jaheel Hyde, was second in a season’s best 48.45 while Assinie Wilson ran a massive personal best 48.50 for third.
Hibbert’s 16.56m is also the third-longest jump outdoors this season among seniors and juniors.
The silver medallist at the 2021 World Junior Championships in Nairobi will be joined on the CARIFTA team by Petersfield High’s Royan Walters who jumped 15.22 for second place.
The Jamaica College pair of Chavez Penn (14.02) and Euan Young (13.74) were the top two finishers in the Under-17 section.
Moving away from the sand and into the sprint hurdles, St. Jago’s Bryana Davidson won the U-17 Girls 100m Hurdles in 13.52 ahead of Hydel’s Jody-Ann Daley (13.62) and St. Jago’s Briana Campbell (13.74).
Petersfield’s Alexis James ensured it wasn’t a clean sweep for Hydel by winning the U-20 Girls event in 13.16 ahead of the Hydel pair of Oneka Wilson (13.22) and Kerrica Hill (13.25).
Kingston College’s Jadan Campbell won the U-17 Boys 110m Hurdles in 13.57. Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon was second in 13.68 while Campbell’s KC teammate Daniel Clarke was third in 13.94.
St. Jago secured the top two spits in the U-20 Boys race with Jahvel Granville winning in 13.65 ahead of Demario Prince (13.77). Shamer Blake of STETHS was third in 13.91.
The Class I gold medallist in both the long and triple jump at last week’s ISSA Boys and Girls Championships jumped out to 7.62m to win gold ahead of St. Vincent’s Uroy Ryan (7.52m) and Barbados’ Aren Spencer (7.48m).
Hibbert will be looking for a second gold medal in the triple jump on Monday, an event in which he is currently the world U-20 leader with a massive 16.66m done to win gold at Champs.
Guyana’s Anisha Gibbons won gold in the U-20 Girls javelin with 42.54m ahead of the Barbadian pair of Vivica Addison (41.92) and Vanessa Greaves (41.17).
Dominica took gold in the U-20 Girls shot put through Treneese Eloui Hamilton’s 14.58m effort. Jamaica’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.19m for her second silver medal of these games while Suriname’s Alicia Grootfaam threw 12.97m for bronze.
In the 800m semis, Guyana’s 1500m champion from Saturday Attoya Harvey was the fastest qualifier to the U-17 Girls final in 2:15.76 ahead of Jamaica’s Andrene Peart (2:15.79) and her Guyanese teammate Narissa McPherson (2:19.89).
Bermuda’s Nirobi Smith Mills was the fastest qualifier to the Boys U-20 final with 1:55.11 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Nathan Cumberbatch (1:55.75) and Jamaica’s 1500m silver medallist Adrian Nethersole (1:55.89). 1500m Gold medallist J’Voughnn Blake also advanced to the final comfortably in 1:58.31.
The 800m finals are scheduled for Monday. Both the Girls U-20 and Boys U-17 800m will be straight finals.
Smith-Band added to his silver medal performance in the 400m by producing his second personal best at the championships, 20.90, to win the title ahead of St. Elizabeth Technical’s Javorne Dunkley (21.40) and teammate Jaiden Reid (21.52).
The Class 2 Boys crown was taken by KC’s Tahj-Marques White, who ran 21.44 to complete the 200m-400m double. White’s teammate Nyrone Wade was second in 21.96 while Ainsley McGregor of Wolmer’s Boys ran the same time as Wade for third.
100m bronze medallist Shaun Lewis of STETHS went two better to win gold in the Class 3 final ahead of St. Jago’s Rayj Reece (22.93) and Calabar’s 400m champion Christopher Ellis (23.20).
Hydel’s Reid, who smashed Veronica Campbell’s Class 1 100m record when she ran a national junior record 10.92 to win the 100m on Wednesday, completed the sprint double with a 23.08 effort on Saturday. Wolmer’s Girls’ Mickayla Gardner was second in 23.89 and Holmwood Technical’s 400m champion Rickiann Russell was third in 24.16.
The Class 2 Girls final was won by Hydel’s Shemonique Hazle in 24.36, the same time as Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery in second while Bridgeport’s Brittney McCormack was third in 24.73.
Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East turned the tables on Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge in the Girls Class 3 final after Terrelonge got the better of her in the 100m. East ran 24.20 to win while Terrelonge ran 24.64 for second. Hydel’s Onetta Mitchell was third in 24.92.
Immaculate Conception’s Kayla Johnson completed the Class 4 sprint double with a winning time of 25.29 ahead of Hydel’s Gabrielle Morgan (25.54) and Clarendon College’s Tresha-Lee Sutherland (25.58).
At the time of publishing, Kingston College had a 41-point lead over Jamaica College after 32 events scored while, on the girls side, Edwin Allen had a one point lead over Hydel after 37 events scored.
Running in rainy conditions, Powell, a finalist at the NCAA Championships earlier in June, produced a late burst in the final 50 metres of the race to produce 45.50 to win ahead of Nathon Allen (45.64) and Anthony Cox (45.65).
McLeod, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, produced a strong season’s best of 50.29 to win ahead of Stephenie Ann McPherson (50.49) and Charokee Young (50.76).
There was an upset in the Women’s 800m as eight-time national champion Natoya Goule ran 2:00.83 for second behind Chrisann Gordon-Powell (2:00.35). Adelle Tracey ran 2:01.18 for third.
National record holder and NCAA Championships silver medallist Navasky Anderson ran 1:48.53 to win his first national title ahead of Kimar Farquharson (1:49.36) and Tarees Rhoden (1:49.89).
Edwin Allen finished with 352 points followed by Hydel (295), St. Jago High (249), Holmwood (174) and Excelsior (107).
On the Boys side, Kingston College finished with a mammoth 372 points to win ahead of Jamaica College (300.83), Calabar (170), St. Jago (147) and Edwin Allen (95).
Edwin Allen’s team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton sped to a world high school record 43.29 to win the Class I Girls 4x100m Relay ahead of St. Jago High (45.05) and Hydel High (45.12).
The Class II event was won by Holmwood Technical in 46.33 ahead of St. Catherine High (46.45) and Edwin Allen (46.55).
St. Jago won the Class III race in 45.64 ahead of Hydel (46.19) and Holmwood Technical (46.67) while Immaculate Conception took the Class IV relay in 47.32 over Edwin Allen (48.25) and Hydel (48.58).
Jamaica College won the Boys Class I event in 39.43 ahead of St. Jago (39.89) and Camperdown (40.02).
Kingston College sped to 41.28 to win the Class II relay ahead of STETHS (41.74) and Calabar (41.86).
Calabar won the Class III event in 43.99 ahead of St. Jago (44.86) and JC (44.88).
Edwin Allen tasted victory in the Girls 1600m Sprint Medley in 3:58.87 ahead of Alphansus Davis High (4:06.74) and Holmwood Technical (4:07.31) while Kingston College won the Boys event in 3:27.66 ahead of STETHS (3:27.70) and Jamaica College (3:30.97).
Brianna Lyston anchored Hydel to victory in the Girls 4x400m Relay in 3:35.38 ahead of Edwin Allen (3:37.71) and Holmwood (3:38.34).
Jamaica College ran 3:10.04 to win the final event of Champs 2022, the Boys 4x400m ahead of Kingston College (3:10.68) and St. Jago (3:11.69).
In the field, Serena Cole, before running a leg on Edwin Allen’s victorious 4x100m team, won the Class I Long Jump in 6.36 ahead of St. Jago’s Machaeda Linton (5.82) and her Edwin Allen teammate Paula-Ann Chambers (5.71).
Edwin Allen’s Christopher Young got his third medal of the championships with gold in the Class I Boys Shot Put with 19.37m ahead of Calabar’s Kobe Lawrence (18.86) and St. Jago’s Brandon Gayle (18.30).
KC took gold in the Boys Class I High Jump through Verrol Sam (2.05m) who won ahead of STETHS’ Dejone Raymond (2.00m) and St. Jago’s Demario Prince (2.00m).
KC’s Aaron McKenzie added to his gold medal in the Class II High Jump by jumping out to 14.27 to win the Class II Triple Jump ahead of the JC pair Chavez Penn (14.22) and Euan Young (14.15m).
