分类： sports

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships witnessed standout performances on its second day at the National Stadium, with Hydel High’s Nastassia Fletcher positioning herself as the athlete to beat in the girls’ Class 1 400m. Fletcher, who claimed last year’s Class 2 title, dominated the qualifying round by clocking an impressive 52.92 seconds, establishing a strong foundation for her gold medal pursuit.

Despite formidable competition from last year’s medalists—Edwin Allen’s Kellyann Carr (53.67 seconds) and Holmwood Technical’s Abrina Wright (53.08 seconds)—Fletcher’s commanding performance has solidified her status as the clear favorite for the championship title.

In Class 2 qualifying, Foga Road High’s Shameika McLean surged ahead with a time of 52.52 seconds, outperforming last year’s silver medalist Sashana Johnson of Hydel High, who finished with 54.12 seconds. The qualifiers also included Holmwood Technical’s Annastacia Hall (53.29 seconds), William Knibb Memorial’s Daniellia Dixon (53.49 seconds), Immaculate Conception’s Kimberly Wright (54.29 seconds), and Maddison Campbell of Holmwood Technical.

Notably, Edwin Allen faced disappointment as neither of their two athletes advanced to the Class 3 final. William Knibb Memorial’s Khortnie Eccleston led the Class 3 qualifiers with 55.41 seconds, followed closely by Hydel High’s Tyecia McDonald (55.41 seconds) and Holmwood Technical’s Malya McLennon (55.64 seconds).

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships witnessed impressive performances in the javelin throw arena during Wednesday’s qualifying rounds at the National Stadium. Edwin Allen High’s standout athlete Addison James emerged as the top qualifier with a formidable throw of 55.85 meters, positioning himself as the athlete to beat in the upcoming final.

James, who currently holds Trinidad and Tobago’s national junior record of 67.48 meters, returns to the championship final seeking redemption after capturing silver last year with a 65.08-meter effort that surpassed the then-existing record. The talented thrower demonstrated exceptional efficiency during qualifications, achieving the automatic qualifying standard of 53.00 meters with his very first attempt.

This year’s final will feature familiar faces, with James being one of only two top-eight finishers from the previous championship returning to compete. He will be joined by Cornwall College’s 15-year-old prodigy Junior Wright, setting the stage for an intriguing inter-school rivalry.

Kingston College also showcased strong representation in the qualifying rounds. Kimari Smith secured his place in the final with a single impressive throw of 55.66 meters, while his teammate Samuel Brown advanced with a solid 46.85-meter effort.

The boys open javelin final promises to be a highlight of the championships as these young athletes prepare to showcase their refined techniques and competitive spirit in pursuit of national glory.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican high school track and field sensation Marla-Kay Lampart has positioned herself as the athlete to beat in the Class 1 girls’ shot put competition at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships. During Wednesday’s qualifying rounds at the National Stadium, the Clarendon College standout delivered a commanding performance with a top throw of 13.66 meters, securing her place in the final with the leading mark.

This year’s championship holds particular significance for Lampart, who endured a disappointing fifth-place finish at last year’s event despite entering as a medal favorite. The young athlete demonstrated remarkable resilience following that setback, achieving redemption just weeks later by shattering the national junior record with an extraordinary 17.44-meter throw at the Carifta Games.

Lampart’s road to qualification required two attempts to surpass the automatic qualifying threshold, despite having recorded a season’s best of 14.52 meters earlier this year at the Central Championships. Her performance establishes her as the frontrunner in a competitive field that includes several talented contenders.

Wolmer’s Girls’ Bethany Thomas emerged as the closest competitor, registering an impressive 13.65 meters, just one centimeter behind Lampart’s leading mark. Edwin Allen High’s Dionjah Shaw also showcased her consistency, qualifying for her third final of the championships with a throw of 13.45 meters.

The final round will feature additional qualifiers including Vere Technical’s Gabriel Merchant, Immaculate Conception’s Jada Francis, Merl Grove’s Abigail Bennett, and St Jago’s Rehanna Biggs, setting the stage for an intensely competitive conclusion to the shot put event.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships witnessed its first gold medal victory on Wednesday as Kingston College’s Odane Noble delivered a spectacular performance in the Class 2 boys long jump event. Noble secured top honors with an impressive leap of 7.18 meters (0.5m/s) on the second day of competition at the national stadium.

The young athlete demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the event, achieving three jumps exceeding the 7.00-meter mark. Among his four legal attempts, Noble recorded distances of 7.07m and 7.09m, showcasing his technical prowess and competitive dominance.

The silver medal position was claimed by Calabar High’s Talshawn Edwards, who posted a strong jump of 7.02m (1.7m/s). The bronze medal decision required a tie-breaker procedure after St Jago High’s Winaldo Faulknor and Cornwall College’s Zhi-Hew Whitter both recorded identical best jumps of 6.79m (1.5m/s).

Faulknor ultimately secured third place based on his superior second-best jump of 6.77m (0.8m/s), which exceeded Whitter’s secondary effort of 6.72m (0.6m/s) from the opening round. The intense competition highlighted the exceptional talent emerging within Jamaica’s high school athletics program.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Reigning champion Joseph Salmon from Jamaica College positioned himself as the athlete to beat in the Class 1 boys discus throw, delivering a commanding performance on Wednesday during the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships. Salmon launched the discus 57.38 meters on his first attempt, instantly securing his place in the final and sending a clear message of his intent to retain his title.

The competition at the national stadium saw several standout performers who matched Salmon’s efficiency. Kamari Kennedy of Calabar High also achieved automatic qualification with a single powerful throw of 55.41m, surpassing the required 55.00m mark. They will be joined by last year’s bronze medalist, Rajeem Streete of Munro College, who advanced with a strong performance.

The final field was rounded out by a group of talented throwers. De-Andre Henry (Calabar High) secured his spot with a throw of 53.48m, followed closely by Munro College’s Javontae Smith at 53.43m. Kingston College will be represented by two athletes in the final, with Nkosana Johnson (53.18m) and Daijon Budhai (53.05m) both earning their places through consistent performances. The stage is now set for a highly competitive final showdown.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—In a stunning reversal of fortunes, Clarendon College’s Jamelia Young mounted a spectacular comeback to successfully defend her Girls’ Class 2 shot put championship on Wednesday at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships. Young’s winning throw of 14.71 meters marked a dramatic improvement from her qualifying performance and secured her position as Jamaica’s premier junior shot putter.

The victory unfolded as a narrative of persistence overcoming early adversity. Entering the finals ranked a distant eighth after Tuesday’s qualifying rounds with a modest 12.75m effort, Young faced formidable competition from Holmwood Technical’s Shamanda Wilmot, who had dominated the preliminaries. Wilmot initially continued her strong form by setting the pace with her best throw in the opening round.

However, the competition dynamics shifted dramatically in the fourth round when Young unleashed her championship-winning throw, surpassing Wilmot’s leading mark. Wilmot ultimately secured the silver medal with a solid throw of 14.39m, demonstrating consistent performance throughout the event.

Excelsior High’s Alyssa Forrester claimed the bronze medal with a throw of 14.22m, improving significantly from her qualifying distance of 13.42m achieved on Tuesday. The podium finishes highlighted the competitive depth in Jamaican junior athletics.

Young’s winning mark of 14.71m represents a substantial improvement over her previous championship-winning performance of 13.65m from last year, demonstrating significant athletic development and technical refinement. The event, which was the first girls’ final decided at the national stadium during the championships, set a high standard for competition excellence for the remainder of the tournament.