Jamaica’s prestigious ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships witnessed another remarkable achievement for Saint Lucia as 17-year-old decathlete Deandre Isidore captured the bronze medal in the open boys’ decathlon on Thursday, March 26. Competing under the Jamaica College banner, Isidore demonstrated exceptional athletic prowess across ten demanding events, accumulating an impressive total of 5,520 points.
The two-day competition showcased Isidore’s versatile capabilities. During Wednesday’s opening events, he posted impressive results including an 11.22-second 100m sprint, a 5.82m long jump, a 10.20m shot put throw, a 1.63m high jump clearance, and a standout 50.48-second 400m performance that ranked as the fastest time in the field.
Thursday’s events further highlighted his athletic diversity: a 15.78-second 110m hurdles, a 22.64m discus throw, a 2.92m pole vault, a powerful 44.82m javelin throw (ranking second in the event), and a 5:19.84 1500m finish. His performance surpassed his compatriot Khailan Vitalis, the 2022 gold medalist, in three specific events: shot put, javelin, and 1500m.
The championship title was claimed by Grenadian athlete Jurel Clement from Kingston College with 6,837 points, while Jaquan Souden of Happy Grove High School secured silver with 6,696 points in the 21-athlete competition.
Isidore’s achievement marks Saint Lucia’s second medal at the championships, building upon Vitalis’s historic gold medal performance in 2022. With his current trajectory, Isidore shows potential to challenge Vitalis’s national junior record of 5,990 points in future competitions.