With four weekends of track and field development meets under our belts, ardent fans of high school track and field in Jamaica are starting to whisper in small groups. They have already begun to debate about whether or not the defending champions, Calabar High on the boys side and Holmwood Technical on the girls side can retain their respective crowns or if they can be toppled by one of the usual protagonists.
With four weekends of track and field development meets under our belts, ardent fans of high school track and field in Jamaica are starting to whisper in small groups. They have already begun to debate about whether or not the defending champions, Calabar High on the boys side and Holmwood Technical on the girls side can retain their respective crowns or if they can be toppled by one of the usual protagonists.
With more than enough options to choose from each weekend on the racing calendar, most of the top schools have chosen meets carefully, so that they ‘avoid’ each other early in the season. While the ‘dodging’ has been going on, the top athletes have been putting in solid performances and new talent has been emerging in various quarters.
Notably, some of the athletes who starred in their final year in lower classes last year, have made the step up and shown they are ready to rub shoulders and match strides with their senior counterparts.
Many fans were licking their lips in anticipation last weekend at the prospect of seeing some big clashes but to their disappointment, Calabar decided to rest their stars, robbing those packed inside the Grandstand at the National Stadium for the Queens/Grace Jackson Development Meet of early season fun.
While they were left waiting for the big matchups they were treated to good displays from both the high school athletes and some of the collegiate and professional athletes. The sight of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce speeding down the track in the 60 meters, followed by Nesta Carter, had them bussing just after 6:00pm.
It is still too early to start counting up ‘Champs’ points, after all we are still in January. But the anchor leg run by Jamaica College quarter miler, Devaugh Baker in the 4x400m in the days final event on Saturday, suggests that he is ready to do battle with Calabar’s World Championships 4x400m Silver medalist, Javon Francis, whenever the two meet.
The month of February will help to make things a lot clearer as to the destination of the ‘Champs’ trophies but one thing is for certain after the first month of action in 2014, St. Jago High School will be in the mix on both the boys and girls side come March.
Photo: 400m World Youth Champion – Martin Manley
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