Two-time World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton and Malik James-King emerged victorious in the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles events, respectively, at the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Clayton looked in excellent early season form, running 53.72, a world leading time and her fastest season opener, to take the win ahead of American Anna Cockrell (53.76) and Jamaica’s Shian Salmon (54.57).

Clayton also tried out a new running pattern with 14 steps between hurdles.

“It felt amazing. I tried my best and I know my coach will be happy with that so I look forward to my next race which is next Sunday,” she said after the race.

“These ladies are who I compete against all the time. It’s an amazing feeling to always line up and compete against the best in the world,” Clayton added.

The men’s race saw Malik James-King spring an upset with a personal best 48.39 to win ahead of World Championship silver medallist Kyron McMaster (49.00) and Jaheel Hyde (49.48).

“I have a lot more to work on so I’m just going to be going back to the drawing board and listening to my coach,” James-King said after the race.

“I was surprised with the time, honestly. I expected 48 but I didn’t know an exact time. 48.3 is a really good time,” he added.

The women’s 400m hurdles promises to be one of the most exciting events at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational set for May 11 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

The field will include a number of the world’s top hurdlers including global medallists including the likes of Rushell Clayton, Shamier Little and Dalilah Muhammad.

Muhammad won Olympic gold back in Rio eight years ago and took silver in Tokyo five years later. Her time in the Tokyo final, 51.58, remains a personal best and makes her the third-fastest woman ever.

At the World Championships, the 34-year-old won gold in 2019 in a then-world record 52.16. She was also among the medals in Moscow in 2013, London in 2017 and Eugene in 2022.

Clayton took bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and had a similar result last year in Budapest with a personal best 52.81.

Little is a two-time World Championship silver medallist. The first came back at the 2015 edition in Beijing and the second came in Budapest last year.

Her personal best 52.39 was done back in 2021 and puts her fifth all-time.

Saturday’s field is completed by two-time Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell, Pan Am Games champion Gianna Woodruff, World Championship finalists Andrenette Knight and Anna Cockrell and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shiann Salmon.

Winning a first global individual medal at last year’s World Championships whetted Zharnel Hughes’s appetite for more success, and so it comes as no surprise that the Anguillan-born Great Britain sprint sensation is strongly optimistic about clinching a medal at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

In fact, if Hughes’s confidence to top his performances from last year is anything to go by, then he could very well accomplish the feat, provided he maintains a clean bill of health throughout the season.

During last year’s electrifying campaign, which ended with his World Championships bronze in the men’s 100m final, Hughes broke Olympic champion Linford Christie’s 100m British national record when he clocked a personal best 9.83 seconds at the New York Grand Prix, in June.

A month later, at the UK Athletics Championship, Hughes ran a brisk 19.77s, which is faster than John Regis’s national 200m record, but the time was wind-aided and, as such, was recognised as a record. However, Hughes, with his superb form, inevitably established a new record when he clocked a wind-legal 19.73s at the London Diamond League.

With that in mind, coupled with his relentless work ethic and resolute pursuit of excellence, Hughes is poised to make another significant impact on the world stage this year. Whether or not it will be an Olympic gold medal triumph is left to be seen.

“It's the Olympic year, so obviously you want to better what you did last year. I'm happy with how last year turned out for me, and this year is very much more exciting. I'm preparing myself nicely. I'm feeling fit and ready to go. Obviously as an athlete, you want to lower your personal best every year, but unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't work out like that. But I'm definitely aiming to lower my personal best both in the 100m and 200m,” Hughes declared.

“I'm in good shape and I’m excited. I've definitely counted myself as one of them (athletes) to be reckoned with (for an Olympic gold medal). I'm never going to count myself out now because you've seen what happened last year, and I'm excited to top my performance from last year,” he added.

Though he 48.25s in a 400m run in February, followed by a 20.40s-clocking in March, the 28-year-old pointed out that he is yet to really hit top gear in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, but is aiming to do so at the sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix, on June 1, at Jamaica's National Stadium.

At the Racers Grand Prix, Hughes will line up alongside Racers Track Club teammate Oblique Seville and American World champion Noah Lyles in the 100m, which he considers a good prelude for what could come at the Paris Games.

“I'm looking forward to it, I was listening for who was going to be there; Oblique and I have been training pretty good and I know both of us representing coach Glen Mills, will be bringing it on the day. So, I look forward to who's in the field, especially with Lyles being there,” Hughes said.

“This race is to get you prepared for what's to come later in the summer. So, to have great competition like that at the Racers Grand Prix is just a great indicator to see where we're at, and what we can tweak going into our national trials, because my trials will be the latter part of June. So, for me, I'm looking forward to this race and the following week I'll have the European Championships as well. So, it'll be a great indicator for me,” he shared.

Working tirelessly under the watchful eyes of decorated coach Mills, Hughes, a four-time European Champion, has upped the ante in the gym to improve his strength, as he is leaving no stone unturned in his quest for Olympic glory.

“My training has been going tremendously well. I'm excited to open up properly (at Racers Grand Prix) because my first race wasn't so good because I had a little niggle, but I've overcome that now and I'm very excited to see what's there. I've worked on my strength a lot, physically, I'm a lot stronger and I just want to keep on top of my mental health as well,” Hughes revealed.

“Those things are very crucial going into an Olympic year, so you have to be very focused. You have to ensure that your body is properly fit as well in order to go there to give the best that you're looking for. So, I'm pretty sharp on keeping my mental focus up and ensuring that I'm properly recovered,” he ended.

Celebrated coach and Racers Track Club President Glen Mills says the value of meets such as the Racers Grand Prix cannot be overstated, given the significant role it plays in the development of the country’s young athletes in particular.

Mills’s comments came as he announced the plethora of local and international stars that are expected to set this year’s sixth edition of the Racers Grand Prix alight at the National Stadium on June 1.

Among them is American World champion Noah Lyles, who clocked a superb 19.67s to win the 200m, sharing the spotlight with Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and South African Wayde Van Niekerk last year.

He is set to line up in the men’s 100m on this occasion, alongside rising Jamaican sensation Oblique Seville, World University champion Kadrian Goldson, Great Britain’s World Championships bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, Canadian Aaron Brown and American Kendal Williams, with two more athletes to be confirmed.

According to Mills, who was instrumental in the decorated career of now-retired Usain Bolt, having young athletes compete on home soil against world class superstars not only drives their development, but also influences positive behavioural changes towards training.

Reigning 400m World champion Antonio Watson is one such example, as he broke the 45-second barrier for the first time on his debut outing at the event last year, and he later followed that up by topping a quality field in Budapest, Hungary. 

“A meet of this level is very important in development of our athletes, and I don't think we can underscore its value in their development as a coach. I can tell you, when we have them competing here in Jamaica against the world and the fans come out and really cheer for them, it makes a difference when they return to the training field,” Mills said during the event’s launch at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday.

“They know and feel the support and the energy and electricity. When that happens, we get better performances on the training track, and as you can see, it goes on to the international stage as well. So, thank you for supporting Racers Grand Prix all and I'm hoping to see everyone on June 1,” he added.

Known globally as Jamaica’s foremost track and field meet credited with showcasing many of Jamaica’s most decorated athletes, Racers Grand Prix, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event, promises an exhilarating demonstration of athletic excellence.

There are 13 events –men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles, women’s 100m hurdles, men’s 110m hurdles, as well as the men’s long jump, triple jump and discus throw –to be contested across two-and-a-half hours of scintillating action starting at 7:00pm.

The women's 100m hurdles is headlined by Bahamas’s World Indoor champion Devynne Charlton, and Great Britain’s Cindy Sember, up against Jamaica’s Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper and rising Jamaican sensation Ackera Nugent.

For the men’s 110m hurdles, Jamaica’s Olympic champion Hansle Parchment will lead compatriots Damion Thomas and last year’s champion Tyler Mason, against the American duo of Trey Cunningham and Robert Dunning.

World champion Antonio Watson headlines the field for the men’s 400m, which includes Champion Allison and Nigerian NCAA champion Emmanuel Bamidele. Demish Gaye, Zandrion Barnes and Javon Francis, are the other Jamaicans confirmed.

Meanwhile, World Indoor champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia headlines the women’s 100m field, alongside Jamaica’s Alana Reid, Ashanti Moore and World Indoor silver medallist Mikiah Brisco, with four more ladies to be confirmed.

World Championships finalist Roshawn Clarke headlines the men’s 400m hurdles field, while Ireland’s NCAA Champion Rhasidat Adeleke will square off against Jamaica’s Stacy Ann Williams, Candice McLeod, Charokee Young, and Junelle Bromfield in the women’s 400m.

American Will Abbey Steiner and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards top the list of competitors for the men’s and women’s 200m. In the field, Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert and American Will Claye lead the confirmed athletes for the men’s triple jump, while another Jamaican Carey McLeod, and Laquan Nairn of Bahamas, will line up in the long jump, with three more athletes to be confirmed.

Mills explained that they are currently in discussions with several athletes, but is awaiting confirmation before revealing the names.

“We are still five weeks away and so we are still working with athletes to finalise contracts. I can’t call the names as yet, but we can guarantee a meet of the highest level and the best quality athletes worth watching,” Mills noted.

Tickets for the event goes on sale online on May 1, with grandstand finish line valued at $5,000, regular grandstand $3,000, while bleachers tickets have been dropped to $500.

Aided by a superior squad with depth across events and classes, Kingston College expectedly retained their boys’ title, while Edwin Allen turned back the challenge from Hydel High to reclaim the girls’ crown, as the curtains came down on the 113^th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Kingston College were always favoured to cop the Mortimer Geddes trophy for a third-straight year and they did so with consummate ease to make it their 35th overall lien on the coveted prize.

The North Street-based purples, who led from day one of the five-day spectacle, fittingly closed the show with victory in the 4x400m relay open to end with a tally of 335 points. They finished 57 points ahead of closest rivals Jamaica College (278 points), with Calabar (194 points), Excelsior (122 points) and St Jago (111.50 points), completing the top five.

Meanwhile, it was sweet redemption for Edwin Allen, who had their eight-year unbeaten run snapped by Hydel in last year’s nail-biting battle in which they were separated by two points.

Like Kingston College, Edwin Allen were also expected to take the girls’ title back to their Frankfield, Clarendon base for a 10th time overall, but dethroned champions Hydel kept things interesting throughout, and lacked the venom to upstage their rivals on this occasion.

The Michael Dyke-coached Edwin Allen amassed 335.50 points to finish nine and a half points ahead of Hydel High, who ended on 326 points after they closed the show with victory in the 4x400m. St Jago (171 points), Holmwood Technical (149 points) and Wolmer’s Girls (128.50 points) round out the top five.

It was double delight for a number of athletes across classes, as they added the 200m gold medal to their respective titles on Saturday’s fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Among them were Hydel’s Alliah Baker and Teixiera Johnson, Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East and Wolmer’s Boys’ Mario Ross, who all completed the sprint double, while Muschette High’s Shanoya Douglas, added the half-lap gold to her 400m crown.

Baker, who won the Class one 100m title, was again comfortable in topping the 200m in 23.89s in a -0.4 headwind. Brittney McCormack (24.44s) of Bridgeport was second with Titchfield’s Chevauna Grant (24.46s) in third.

The boys’ Class one event was won by Kingston College’s Amal Glasgow, who timed his race to perfection to collar favourite Gary Card of Wolmer’s Boys at the line. Glasgow won in 21.21s, with Card (21.23s), just staying on for second ahead of another Kingston College athlete Marcinho Rose (21.24s) in a blanket finish.

In the girls’ Class two final, Douglas, the 400m champion utilised her endurance to topple Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge. Running in a strong -3.5 metres per second headwind, Douglas stopped the clock in 23.93s, with Terrelonge (24.31s) and Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (24.38s) taking the minor placing.

Douglas’s teammate Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (21.35s) was a cut above rivals in the boys’ Class two event. Jabari Matheson (21.64s) of William Knibb and Jamaica College’s Malique Dennis (21.87s) were second and third respectively.

Meanwhile, the Wolmer’s duo of East and Ross copped the respective Class three 200m titles to complete the sprint double. East won in a commanding manner in 24.29 seconds, ahead of Immaculate Conception High’s Kimberly Wright (24.70s) and Hydel High’s Sashana Johnson (24.80s).

Ross followed suit shortly after, topping his event in a personal best of 22.21 seconds. Calabar’s Ched Brown (22.54s) took silver ahead of Jamaica College’s Oneil Lawrence (22.73s).

In the girls’ Class four 200m, Hydel High’s Johnson justified favouritism, as she won in 25.44 seconds ahead of teammate Tyecia McDonald (25.91s), while Wolmer’s Girls' Mick-Kayla Gardner (26.11s) took the bronze.

Jamaica College’s Kemario Bygrave and Samuel Creary swept the boys' Class one and two 800m titles on the fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Bygrave successfully defended his Class one crown, as he won comfortably in 1:51.75. Kingston College’s Jaquan Coke (1:52.59) and Maggotty High’s Yoshane Bowen (1:53.02), were second and third, respectively.

In Class 2, Creary added the 800m gold to his 1,500m win. He clocked 1:54.10 ahead of Kingston College’s Nahashon Ruto (1:55.65) and St Mary High’s Rasheed Grant (1:57.38).

Meanwhile, Cavel Nooks of JC equalled his personal best of 1:58.25 to claim the Class three crown. His teammate Cameron Williams (2:02.53) was second, while Sydney Pagon’s Luke Plummer (2:02.86), copped bronze.

On the girls' side, Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms powered through to claim gold in 2:08.56. Hydel’s Abigail Campbell (2:09.07) was second and the other Edwin Allen representative Monique Stewart (2:10.19) finished third.

Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose (2:15.37) upgraded her bronze from last year to win gold in the Class two final. Silver went to St Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:16.66), while Edwin Allen’s Horecia Love (2:17.10) took bronze.

In the Class 3 girls’ event, it was Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds, who won the 1500m on Wednesday that topped the field in 2:17.79. Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler, the overwhelming favourite, had to settle for silver in 2:13.19, with St Mary High’s Dallia Fairweather (2:13.20) in third.

Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford and the Excelsior High pair of Demarco Bennett and Daniel Wright all produced breathtaking performances to win their respective 400m hurdles titles to bring the curtains down on Friday’s third day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Wright, who was sixth in the boys’ Class one event last year, bided his time throughout the event on this occasion, before producing a late burst in the stretch to win in a dazzling personal best 50.71s. He edged the Kingston College pair of Antonio Forbes (50.74s) and Shamari Jennings (50.83s).

Prior to that, Bennett proved too good for rivals in the boys’ Class two event, as he ran away an easy winner in 51.70s, ahead of Calabar’s Robert Miller (52.63s) and Taj-Oneil Gordon (52.35s) of Kingston College.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ Open event, Beckford, running from lane five, went out and a decent pace and basically covered the field on the backstretch before sprinting away from rivals off the curve to win in a brisk 56.70 seconds.

She led a one-two finish for the Frankfield-based Edwin Allen, as her teammate Natasha Fox (57.94s) was second, with Aaliyah Mullings (58.96s) of Hydel in third.

“The inspiration behind it is that I want my team to win and as you can see, I am the captain, so I have to come out here and lead by example,” Beckford said after the win.

Following those events, Edwin Allen surged to 184 points, 43 points ahead of reigning champions Hydel (141 points), while St Jago (81 points), Immaculate Conception (70.33 points) and Holmwood Technical (57 points), complete the top five.

On the boys’ side, Kingston College moved to 169 points, 36 points ahead of Jamaica College (133 points), with Calabar High (84 points), St Jago (74 points) and Excelsior (60 points) rounding out the top five heading into Saturday’s final day.

St Jago High’s Jade-Ann Dawkins recovered from a stuttering start to produce 13.28m and successfully defend her girls’ triple jump Open title on Friday’s third day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Dawkins, who fouled her first two jumps, cut the sand at 12.54m on her third attempt to book her spot in the top eight, from where she jumped like a girl possessed, cutting the sand at 12.74m, before soaring to her winning mark.

She won ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Jaeda Robinson, who recorded a best jump of 13.21m, while Celine Riddle of Holmwood Technical won bronze with 13.04m.

The 18-year-old Dawkins, who took the triple jump and long jump double last year, will be looking to repeat the feat when she contests the latter on Saturday’s final day of the five-day spectacle.

Newly minted Class one girls’ 100m champion Alliah Baker of Hydel and boys’ Class one 400m champion Marcinho Rose, both threw down the gauntlet for what is to come in the 200m finals, as they were superb in qualifying on Friday’s third day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Baker, who is relishing the opportunity to sprint, after being asked to take up the mantle by Head coach Corey Bennett, cruised to a time of 24.27 seconds and seems poised to complete the double.

She will have the likes of Bridgeport High’s Brittney McCormack (24.49s); Titchfield’s Chevauna Grant (24.49s); Mickayla Gardener (24.02s) of Wolmer’s Girls; St Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson (24.64s); St Elizabeth Technical’s Shanque Williams (24.71s); Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong (24.50s) and Trezeguet Taylor (24.71) to contend with in the final.

Kingston College’s Rose laid down comfortable 20.70 seconds to set the tone for the boys’ Class one event. The other finalists are Gary Card (21.17s) of Wolmer’s Boys; KC’s Amal Glasgow (21.26s); Lacovia’s Rosean Smith (21.52s); Vere Technical’s Omar James (21.57s); Raheem Pinnock (21.76s) of St Jago; Munro College’s Romario Hines (21.59s) and Rhaeim Allyson (21.62s) of Clarendon College.

In the girls’ Class two event, medal favourites, Shanoya Douglas (23.53s) of Muschett High; Sabrina Dockery (24.41s) of Lacovia High and 100m champion Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (23.95s) of Edwin Allen, safely progressed to the final.

They will be joined by Hydel High’s Jody-Ann Daley (24.45s) and Shemonique Hazel (24.67s); Shevi-Anne Shim (24.69s) of Immaculate Conception and St Mary High’s Tianna Rhoomes (24.74s).

Johan-Romaldo Smythe (21.31s) of Muschett High was the standard bearer for the boys’ Class two qualifiers, followed by Wiliam Knibb’s Jabari Matheson (21.77s); Kingston College’s Joshua Grant (22.06s); Antwone Bygrave (22.01s) of St George’s College and Jamaica College’s Malique Dennis (22.16s). Calabar’s Byron Walker (22.28s); Campion College’s Nasir McMorris (22.46s) and Ian Baker (22.05s) of St Catherine High (22.05), will look to challenge Smythe for the top spot.

Meanwhile, Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls’ will look to defend her Class three title, after she clocked 24.15s in qualifying. She will face the likes of Immaculate Conception’s Kimberly Wright (24.48s); St Jago’s Shannia Campbell (25.30s) and Trecia-Ann Grant (25.07s); Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne (24.86s); Port Antonio’s Kevina Bourne (25.04s); St Mary High’s Kaliesha Bell (24.72s) and Hydel’s Sashana Johnson (24.79s).

Jamaica College’s Oneil Lawrence clocked 22.54 seconds to register the fastest qualifying time of the boys’ Class three 200m. He will line up against Mario Ross (22.67s) and Deandre Myers (23.31s) of Wolmer’s Boys’; Calabar’s Ched Brown (22.85s); Denbigh High’s Rayvon Black (22.99s); Andre Boyd of St Jago (23.11s); Edwin Allen’s Taheem Thompson (23.24s) and Kingston College’s Jason Pitter (23.29s).

Finally, Hydel High’s Teixiera Johnson is another athlete seeking to complete the double, as she headlines qualifiers through to the girls’ Class four event.

Johnson ran a time of 25.23 seconds, and she will be joined by her teammate Tyecia McDonald (25.46s); Jadeanne Patterson (26.03s) of Alphansus Davis; Holmwood Technical’s Aliona Crawford (26.20s); Maggotty High’s Kerian Jarrett (26.06s); Mick-Kayla Gardener (26.09s) of Wolmer’s Girls; Edwin Allen’s Makaila McDonald (26.26s) and Convent of Mercy Alpha’s Imani Crawford (26.33s).

The final is scheduled for Saturday evening.

The stage is set for two pulsating 4X400m relay Open finals to bring the curtains down on the 113th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

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.

A few athletes will be aiming to complete the middle distance double in their respective classes after they easily navigated the 800m semi-finals on day four of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.

Among them are Jamaica College’s Samuel Creary, Alikay Reynolds of Alphansus Davis and Abigail Campbell of Hydel High.

Campbell, who won the girls’ Class one 400m title, clocked an easy 2:18.60 to book her spot in the 800m final, along with the Edwin Allen pair of Monique Stewart (2:17.70) and Rickeisha Simms (2:16.18). Carlene Temple (2:16.26) and Allecia Johnson (2:19.07) of Alphansus Davis; Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose (2:16.64); Kitania Headley (2:17.05) of St Catherine and St Andrew’s Rihanna Gayle (2:19.31), also progressed.

The boys’ Class one finalists include Maggotty’s Yoshane Bowen (1:57.88); Jaquan Coke (1:59.82) of Kingston College; Kemario Bygrave (2:00.41) of Jamaica College; Port Antonio’s Ainsley Brown (1:57.91) and Joaqueem Miller (1:59.86) of St Elizabeth Technical.

Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose headlines the girls’ Class two qualifiers with a time of 2:16.33, and she will be joined by Horecia Love (2:18.12) of Edwin Allen High; Shavanecia Griffiths (2:18.22) and Chennai Jarrett (2:17.29) of St Elizabeth Technical; St Mary’s College’s Latanya Dixon (2:18.33); St Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:18.80); Andrene Peart (2:18.47) of Holmwood Technical and Sydney Pagon’s Denae Hodges (2:23.27).

Creary, who won the 1,500m title and Nahashon Ruto of Kingston College are expected to battle it out for the boys’ Class two title after both easily progressed to the medal event. Creary clocked 1:58.38 in semi-final two and Ruto stopped the clock in 2:00.32 in the other semi-final.

They will be joined by Delano Brown (2:00.85) of St Elizabeth Technical, Rushanne James (2:00.69) of Clarendon College, St Mary High’s (2:00.75), Jayden Brown (2:01.42) of Maggotty High, Shemar Green (2:00.92) of Jamaica College and Albert Town’s Clevaughn Genius (2:01.41).

Alphansus Davis’ Reynolds, the girls’ 1,500m Class three champion, easily booked her spot in the 800m showpiece with a time of 2:16.51. The Edwin Allen pair of Denique Palmer (2:18.29) and Kevongaye Fowler (2:19.91); Shameika Dennis (2:21.24) of St Elizabeth Technical; Tabbrel Williams (2:20.67) of Alphansus Davis; St Mary High’s Dallia Fairweather (2:18.81); Hydel’s Sackeela Whilby (2:21.59) and Manchester High’s Vennesha Pommels (2:22.44), will seek to upstage Reynolds in the finals.

Meanwhile, Jamaica College’s Cavel Nooks, the boys’ Class three 1,500m champion, will start as a favourite in the final 800 metres, as he won his semi-final in 2:02.65.

Also securing a lane in the final are Camron Williams (2:05.97), also of Jamaica College Titchfield High’s Ratieo Walters (2:07.08); Sydney Pagon’s Luke Plummer (2:06.55); Calabar’s Obrian Clarke (2:09.79); Excelsior’s Keniel Daniels (2:10.06); St Elizabeth Technical’s Renento Alexander (2:07.57) and Nathaniel Thomas of Denbigh High (2:11.43).

The finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

There were no mishaps in the exciting 4X100m relays on Thursday’s third day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, as all the main protagonists safely executed their baton exchanges to secure spots in the medal event at the National Stadium.

Calabar High anchored by Shaquane Gordon clocked the fastest time of 40.53s in the boys’ Class one qualifiers, with Excelsior (40.70s), Kingston College (40.70s), St Jago (41.02s), Jamaica College (40.98s), Herbert Morrison (41.03), Wolmer’s Boys (41.06s) and St George’s College (41.07s), also progressing.

In the girls’ Class one qualifiers, Wolmer’s Girls laid down the marker with a 45.40s-clocking, followed by Edwin Allen (45.73s), Hydel (45.57s) and Holmwood Technical (46.05s). St Catherine (46.31s), Manchester High (47.50s), St Jago (47.43s) and St Mary High (47.64s), complete the finalists.

The boys’ Class two qualifiers were led by Excelsior High, who clocked a fast 41.13s, while Calabar (41.38s), Kingston College (41.85s) and Jamaica College (42.44s), also booked their spot in the final. St Catherine (42.35s), St George’s College (42.55s), Manchester High (43.03s) and Petersfield (43.13s), are the other finalists.

Edwin Allen were fastest through from Class two, as the quartet of Kellyann Carr, Shanique Cassanova, Marria Crossfield and Renecia Edwards won their heat in 46.20s. They will be joined in the final by Hydel (46.59s), Immaculate Conception (47.03s), Excelsior (47.16s), Holmwood Technical (47.23s), Manchester High (47.45s) St Catherine High (47.49s) and Vere Technical (47.58s).

Jamaica College headline qualifiers through to the boys’ Class three event. They won their heat in 43.71s, and they will be joined by Kingston College (43.87s), Calabar (44.11s), St Elizabeth Technical (44.97s), Wolmer’s Boys (44.23s), St George’s College (44.23s), Edwin Allen (44.87s) and Herbert Morrison (46.00s), in the final.

In the girls’ Class three event, St Jago High quartet of Rihanna Anderson, Adora Campbell, Shannia Campbell and Trecia-Ann Grant, clocked the fastest qualifying time of 46.35 seconds. Edwin Allen High (46.71s), Hydel High (46.96s), Immaculate Conception (46.62s), Holmwood Technical (47.19s), Convent of Mercy Alpha (47.49s), Wolmer’s Girls’ (47.49s) and St Mary High (47.36), round out the top eight.

Meanwhile, Hydel High’s quartet of Teixiera Johnson, Gianna Blake, Amelia Hacker and Shaneil Henry were fastest through to the girls’ Class four final. They clocked 48.10 seconds, and they will be joined by Edwin Allen High (48:40s), Holmwood Technical (48.58s), St Jago High (49.31s), St Andrew High (49.65s), Convent of Mercy Alpha (49.10s), Wolmer’s Girls (49.44s) and St Catherine High (49.69s) in the final.

The 4X100m relay finals are scheduled for Saturday evening.

Hydel High’s Zavien Bernard successfully defended her Class three high jump title, as she soared to a new record height 1.83m on day three of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Thursday.

Bernard, who was overwhelmingly favoured to top the field, didn’t disappoint. She showed class and poise in each jump, and further demonstrated her immense ability after dismissing rivals.

With a second-consecutive gold medal already in the bag, the 15-year-old Bernard later cleared the bar at in 1.81m to equal the record set by Shantae Foreman in 2018. However, Bernard wasn’t satisfied and again utilised her superb form to clear 1.83m on the first attempt to claim the record for herself.

Bernard won ahead of St Catherine's Gabrilla Treasure and Immaculate Conception's Grace-Ann Bailey, who cleared 1.68 and 1.65m respectively.

“This is really special because when I just started this was the only event, I could have done so I am happy that I have improved overtime and I want to thank my coach because without him, I couldn’t have jumped this height,” Bernard said shortly after the feat.

“I deserve to break the record because my coach and I have been working so hard, we did so many sessions to make it possible, so I think I deserve this and I am really proud of myself,” she added.

With the upcoming Carifta Games in Grenada also on her agenda, Bernard is also targeting another big performance at the March 28 to April 1 showpiece.

“I am looking forward to it. I know it will probably be even more competitive, but because of my hard work, I am confident in myself that I will do well. Hopefully I will dominate there as well,” she noted.

NB: The Carifta Games will be streamed live on SportsMax and the SportsMax app.

Excelsior High’s Damor Miller and Hydel High’s Alliah Baker won the respective Class One boys and girls 100m titles on day two of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Wednesday.

Miller, who before Wednesday had never medaled at ‘champs’, produced a personal best 10.31 to take gold ahead of Calabar’s Khamani Gordon (10.37) and KC’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.45).

Hydel tasted success in the girls Class One final through their captain Baker who joined the club as one of the few ‘champs’ athletes to win medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m by running a big personal best 11.34 to win ahead of Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong (11.52) and Wolmer’s Girls’ Mickayla Gardener (11.59).

KC’s Nyrone Wade held his composure to run a personal best 10.43 to take gold in the boys Class Two final ahead of Excelsior’s Malike Nugent (10.52) and Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.56).

The girls Class Two event saw event favorite Theianna-Lee Terrelonge recover from a poor start to produce a personal best 11.22 to win gold ahead of Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery (11.36) and St. Jago’s Briana Campbell (11.48).

Dockery also joined the club of athletes to win ‘champs’ medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

Mario Ross continued his excellent form this season with a brilliant personal best 10.88 to win boys Class Three gold ahead of Calabar’s fast-finishing Ched Brown (10.90) and St. George’s College’s Naethan Bryan (11.02).

Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls rebounded from silver last year to claim gold this year in the girls Class Three final in a personal best 11.42. St. Jago’s Adora Campbell was second in 11.52 while Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne was third in 11.73.

Hydel’s Teixiera Johnson won a drama-filled Class Four final in 11.87 ahead of Mick-Kayla Gardener of Wolmer’s Girls (12.27) and pre-event favorite Rihanna Scott of Ferncourt High (12.31).

The drama started just before the race when Scott pulled up with an injury while warming up before eventually taking her place in the field and eventually securing bronze.