Ohara to lead Calabar comfortably home at Champs

Calabar is indeed in pole position after Day 4 of the 105th staging of the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships.

Boasting a 23 points lead and the calibre of athletes the defending champions have in finals on Day 5, one cannot fault those who believe its over.

Supporters of a rejuvenated Kingston College believe that they can steal the title on the last day having secured quality entries in many of the finals on the last day.

Calabar’s two representatives are expected to finish in the top 3 or 4 in the Javelin Open

Javelin Open- CBAR- 16 ( 1st and 2nd), KC- 5 points ( 4th) , JC- 3 points ( 6th)

Both teams are expected to score heavily in the Class Two Discus

CBAR- 9 points ( 2nd and 7th) KC- 13 points (1st and 6th )

Class One Shot Put.

KC- 7points ( 2nd) Calabar- 11 points ( 3rd and 4th), Edwin 9 ( 1st)

They both also have two finalists in the Class One : Calabar – possible 8 points KC- possible 10 points

Two High Jump : Calabar- possible 11 : KC- 7 points

Class Two Triple Jump. Possible 8 points both teams (KC and Calabar) JC to score maximum points and 4th- 14 points.

Sprint hurdles

Calabar is set to score heavily in the sprint hurdles with Michael O’Hara and Seanie Selvin in Class One,

Favourite Dejour Russell and Alex Robinson in Class Two and Craig Brown in Class Three.

KC doesn’t have the quality in the sprint hurdles but should score well in Class Three with their twin pronged attack of Wayne Pinnock and Tajean Houston.

KC’s Phillip Beckford is not expected to trouble the top three in the Class Two sprint hurdles but could secure valuable points.

KC has two representatives in the Class One final with Roderick Moodie and Levaughn Battick.

Class Three hurdles

KC- possible 15 points ( 1st and third) Calabar- 7 points ( 2nd) JC – 3 ( 6th)

Class 2 hurdles:

KC- 3 points ( 6th) CBAR- 15 points ( 1st & 3rd) JC- 9points ( 2nd & 6th)

Class 0ne hurdles:

KC- 4points ( 6th and 8Th) CBA- 11 Points ( 7th and 2nd) Wolmers – 9 pints (1st), JC – 0

The 400m finals could be the crucial battleground. Barring the unforseen Calabar should win the Class Two 400m via the incomparable Christopher Taylor with their second runner Anthony Carpenter not expected to finish outside the top 4.

Calabar has one of the favourites in Class Three with Tajai Jackson but is without an athlete in the Class One final. KC’s Class Three duo of Shanthamoi Brown and Roshaun Rowe could score heavily offsetting gains by Calabar in this class.

The Neil Harrison coached school will draw a blank in Class Two but is expected to secure two of the top 4 positions in the Class One equivalent with Akeem Bloomfield and Twayne Crooks.

Class three- KC- 13 points ( 2nd and 3rd), CBAR- 9 ( 1st)

Class two – Calabar 16 points- ( 1st and 2nd), KC- 5 points ( 4th) STETHS- 6 points ( 3rd)

Class one- KC 16 (1st and 2nd) Calabar- 2 ( 7th), JC-6 (4tth and 8th) SJ- 10 (5th and 3rd)

A similar scenario should unfold in the 200m across all classes

O’Hara should give Calabar 9 points in the Class One final while Tajai Jackson is again among the favourites in Class Three.

KC should answer with Crooks and Shivnarine Smalling in Class One but doesn’t have a finalist in Class Two.

Oshane Peart and Roshaun Rowe could again offset any gains by Calabar in the Class Three final.

Class Three- Calabar- 9 points( 1st) KC 9 points ( 2nd and 7th)

Class Two. Calabar – 16 points Taylor and Tyreke Wilson, KC- 0

Class One- Calabar – 9 points ( 1st) KC- 13 points ( 2nd and 3rd)

800m

Both teams have representation in the 800m however KC will have 4 finalists compared to 2 for Calabar.

The Micheal Clarke coached team will be pinning their hopes on two athletes, Javon-Taye Williams in Class Two and Niquaine Henry in Class Three. KC has Daren Bailey in the Class Three final and Conroy Ellis in the Class Two final. Chadayne Miller will carry KC’s hopes in Class One.

Class three – Calabar- 2 points ( 7th) KC- 5points ( 4th) JC 7 points ( 11th)

Class two- Calabar 2 points ( 7th), KC- 7 points ( 5th and 6th) STEHS_- 9 (1st and 4th)

Class one- Calabar-0, KC- 6 points ( 3rd ), JC – 7 ( 2nd), STETHS 9 ( 1st)

5000m and Relays

Calabar should pick up 8 points compared to KC’s 6 in the 5000m

The oftentimes eventful sprint relay could provide another twist for the main protagonists in what may be a closely contested final day.

Calabar’s super Class One team looks poised to retain the title and could face a stern test from KC and St. Jago, with all three teams having run sub 40.10 in the semifinals.

Calabar- 12 points, KC- 10, St Jago- 8

Calabar’s big Class Two team failed to get the baton around after a disaster on the final changeover and a severely weakened KC team without ace sprinter Jhevaughn Matherson may still be good enough to score heavily in the final.

KC- 8 points, Calabar- 0

Its advantage KC in the Class Three event. It is the relays however and as we have seen in the heats any slip could prove catastrophic for the championship ambitions of the principals.

Class Three- Calabar- 8 points, KC 12 points

Calabar is without a team in the Sprint Medley while KC is highly fancied to win the event.

KC- 12, Calabar -0

KC on paper appears to have the stronger mile relay team but one can never count out Calabar in this event especially if 15 year old phenom Christopher Taylor is asked to carry the team on his slim but capable shoulders.

It will not be a two horse race however as the likes of STETHS, Petersfield High, Jamaica College and even moreso the powerful St. Jago armada have strong claims to winning the final event of the championships.

Calabar – 12, – KC 10, St Jago, 8, Steths- 7, Petersfeild- 6 points.

How amazing and fitting it would be if this event determined the home of the Mortimer Geddes Trophy for the next 12 months.

In the end, the champions should be celebrating yet again, with a comfortable winning margin in the region of 40 points.