KINGSTON, Jamaica — The opening day of the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships witnessed a spectacular display of athletic prowess as defending champion Michael Andre Edwards of Jamaica College delivered a commanding performance in the Class 1 boys long jump preliminaries. The National Stadium erupted as Edwards secured his place in the finals with a single, monumental leap of 7.53 meters, significantly surpassing the automatic qualifying standard of 7.05 meters despite a substantial headwind of 1.9 meters per second.
Edwards, who achieved the remarkable long jump and triple jump double victory in last year’s championships, demonstrated why he remains the athlete to beat in this discipline. His first-attempt qualification not only conserved energy for the upcoming finals but also sent a powerful message to his competitors.
The competition for remaining final spots intensified among other top Jamaican high school athletes. Kingston College’s Amani Phillips, last year’s Class 2 medalist, positioned himself as a strong contender with a jump of 7.04 meters, falling just one centimeter short of the automatic mark. Jamaica College’s Jaivar Cato followed closely with a respectable 6.94-meter effort in calm wind conditions.
In a notable comeback performance, Kemar James of St Jago High overcame initial difficulties to qualify with a wind-assisted 6.91 meters (2.3m/s). The finals will also feature Calabar High’s Shevaughn Pryce alongside St Elizabeth Technical’s duo Santino Distin and Rodeeki Walters, setting the stage for an intensely competitive championship showdown.