分类： sports

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A highly anticipated sprint double at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletic Championships was abruptly halted on Thursday following an injury to rising star Riquelme Reid of Excelsior High. The athlete, who had electrified the National Stadium just a day prior by claiming the Class 1 100m title in a stunning personal best of 10.12 seconds, was forced to withdraw from the 200m event after pulling up during the first-round heats. His sudden exit reshapes the entire competitive landscape for the final day of the five-day championships, set for Saturday. Reid had entered the competition as a formidable contender, boasting a wind-legal season’s best of 20.95 seconds in the 200m, a time that positioned him as the primary challenger to defending champion Sanjay Seymore of William Knibb. Seymore successfully navigated his heat, posting 21.03 seconds into a headwind of -1.5m/s to secure his place in the semi-finals. The path to the podium is now wide open, with several other athletes advancing strongly. Among them are St. George’s College’s Tyreese Foreman, the 100m silver medallist (21.18s), and Edwin Allen High’s Romario Finnigan, the 100m bronze medallist (21.31s). They were joined by Junior Gallimore (Hydel High), Omary Robinson (Jamaica College), Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (Holland High), and Oshane Jervis (Green Island), all progressing to the next round.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Emerging as the dominant force in shot put qualifying, Munro College’s Brandon Lawrence positioned himself as a formidable podium contender during Thursday’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships at the National Stadium. The Western Champs gold medalist delivered a commanding performance with a massive 17.62-meter throw on his sole attempt, establishing himself as the clear frontrunner in the Class 2 boys’ shot put competition.

Lawrence’s impressive showing marks a significant improvement from his fifth-place finish in last year’s championships, demonstrating substantial athletic development. The Munro College standout wasn’t alone in surpassing the automatic qualifying standard of 15.30 meters, as Jamaica College athletes Nasir D’Aguilar (15.84m) and Jaafari Shaw (15.58m) also secured their positions in the finals with strong performances.

The competition featured several other notable contenders advancing through the qualifying rounds, including Munro College’s Ashan Haffenden, Calabar High’s Kidane Linton and Mark-Anthony Earlington, and Cornwall College’s Junior Wright. Their progression sets the stage for an intensely competitive final round in one of Jamaica’s most prestigious high school athletic events, where Lawrence will attempt to convert his qualifying dominance into championship glory.

The 116th edition of Jamaica’s premier high school athletics championship, known as Champs, continues its legacy as a global sporting phenomenon in 2026. The competition’s rich history traces back to 1910, but the 1926 edition stands as a particularly remarkable chapter in its storied existence.

Amid global turbulence in 1926—including the UK General Strike, Emperor Hirohito’s ascension in Japan, and technological breakthroughs like John Logie Baird’s mechanical television demonstration—Jamaican school athletics witnessed its own historic moments. Munro College spectacularly reclaimed the championship title they first won in 1920, finishing with 28 points ahead of rivals Wolmer’s Boys’ (25.5 points) and Jamaica College (21 points).

The competition saw extraordinary individual performances, particularly from Munro’s DA ‘Alty’ Junor, who dominated four events: the 100-yard dash (10.35 seconds), 220-yard sprint (24 seconds), long jump, and 120-yard hurdles. Historical accounts from the Champs 100 book describe Junor’s hurdles victory as so decisive that competitors were only reaching the tenth hurdle as he crossed the finish line.

Technical innovations emerged during the games, with starter Dr. F L Aris abandoning traditional starting commands due to numerous false starts in the 100-yard final. His solution—simply positioning runners and firing the gun—proved effective.

The 1926 championship also featured Beckford and Smith High School (now St Jago High) making their debut appearance, though they failed to register any points. Another notable achievement came from H W Myers, who set a new Class One high jump record of 5 feet 11 inches, simultaneously establishing a Jamaican national record.

Junor further demonstrated his athletic versatility by placing second in the pole vault to a teammate, cementing his reputation as Munro’s most accomplished all-round sportsman, with additional excellence in football and cricket. The era’s communication limitations were highlighted by the coach’s triumphant telegram proclaiming ‘We shall probably win’—a prediction that proved decisively accurate.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Sanique Watt of Immaculate Conception delivered a commanding performance to claim the Class 3 girls’ high jump title at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletic Championships. The event, held at the National Stadium on Thursday, witnessed Watt’s technical mastery as she secured gold with a winning clearance of 1.71 meters.

Demonstrating remarkable consistency, Watt navigated the competition with strategic efficiency. She successfully cleared the first four heights on her initial attempt at each, building momentum for the crucial final stages. While she required two attempts to conquer the gold-medal-winning 1.71m bar, her execution proved decisive. Watt concluded her series with three unsuccessful attempts at 1.74m, a height that would have extended her victory margin.

The podium was completed by Kemoya Campbell from Edwin Allen High, who captured the silver medal with a best jump of 1.68m. Jessica Francis of Alphansus Davis High earned bronze, matching Campbell’s height of 1.68m but requiring more attempts throughout the competition, which determined the final standings. Brianna Stewart of St Jago High, last year’s silver medalist, finished just off the podium in fourth place with a clearance of 1.65m.