ST JAGO, JC SHINE AT 14TH WESLEY POWELL (HIC) TRACK AND FIELD MEET

Photo: Alesha Kelly of St. Jago High leads the field in heat two of the Class 1 Girls 600m at the 14th Wesley Powell Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) track and field meet at the Excelsior High School on Saturday. St. Jago dominated the girls section of the event winning with a total of 370.5 points.

The St Jago High and Jamaica College got off to a great start to the 2016-17 track and field season, with championship victories in the Girls and Boys section respectively at the 14th Wesley Powell Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) track and field meet at the Excelsior High School on Saturday.

The Monk Street based institution finished the day with a few double winners, accounting for a few of championship records. Newcomer to the St Jago fold, Sahjay Stevens also made a big impact in her first appearance in the green and yellow jersey. Competing in her final year, the former St. Elizabeth Technical athlete won the Girls 19 & Under Javelin Throw in a new mark of 40.98m. The old record was held at 36.97m by Excelsior athlete Nayoka Clunis since 2014. Stevens later won the Shot Put with a mark of 13.10m ahead of Excelsior’s Tavia Ranger (11.78m) and Jarman Ashley (11.66m) from the Convent Of Mercy Academy Alpha.

St Jago’s Freshman, Brianna Lyston began her high school track career with a bang, copping the Girls 12 & Under 150 Meter Dash. Her time of 19.86 seconds was the only sub 20 clocking amongst the Class 4 athletes on show. Excelsior’s Raven Reid had to settle for second in 20.54 seconds. Lyston wrapped the double with victory in the Girls 12 & Under 300 Meter in 42.14 seconds, with Reid grabbing another runner up spot in 43.32 seconds.

Excelsior had their turn in the spotlight with Class Three sprinter Dorian Nelson easing to victory in the Girls 13-14, 300 Meter in 41.58. Second spot went to St Jago’s Joanne Reid 41.91s and St. Hildas’ Dhaenia Pinnock finished third in 42.32 seconds. Nelson was again on top in the Girls 13-14 600 Meter, winning in 1:44.68 seconds.

The Class Two 300 final went all St Jago’s way with Kimara Franics leading home a trio of fine young sprinters. Francis won in 41.80 ahead of Rosealee Cooper (42.35) Kayla Bonnick, (43.11) and Janealia Brown (43.64) finishing fourth.

Jamaica College was also impressive in the Boys Class One 600 Meter Dash with Cavelle Beckles, 1:24.69s defeating his teammates Duvaire Wachope (1:25.39s) Ken Reyes (1:26.22) and Dugon Blackman (1:26.98s).

Jamaica College’s Ryiem Robertson erased the Boys 15-16 150 Meter Dash record, clocking 17.19 seconds. The previous record was jointly held by former teammates O’Brien Waysome( 2012) and Dale Age Dacosta ( 2014 ) at 17.31 seconds.

National 800m representative Samantha James was amongst the double winners and record breaker on the day. Running unattached James won the Girls Class 1 and open 600m in a time of 35.78s, erasing the 37.31s time done in 2014 by former Vere Technical runner Derri-Ann Hill. Alesha Kelly of St. Jago High (1:41.31) and Tawana Allen, Camperdown High (1:41.70) claim the runner-up spot. James also secured the women’s 300 Meter Run Open in 45.55 seconds.

The Class 3 Boys 1000 Meter Run was won by Daniel Salmon of Kingston College in a record time of 2:48.64, destroying the old mark of 2:58.32 set by Shane Henry in 2012.

With the absence of the powerhouses in the senior classes, the host team Excelsior had a field day with sprinter Imar Tomlinson (17.33), copping the Class One 150 Meter ahead of teammate Brandon Robinson (17.54) and St Catherine pair of Ashanie Smith 17.55 and Christopher Grant (17.61)

There was another Excelsior clean sweep in the Boys 300 Meter Dash, Class One with Andel Miller (35.69) leading home Tomlinson (36.61) and Damian Davidson( 36.82).

Aaliyah Lindsay, Convent of Mercy Academy Alpha, won the Girls Class 3 High with a new mark of 1.60m. St Andrews Girls Lorean Murray secured the Girls 17-19 High Jump Class One with the same mark of 1.60m, leading the top seven jumpers above the 1.45 old meeting record.

St. Jago’s Shania Scott (41.06m) and (12.99m) won the double in the Girls 15-16 Discus Throw and Shot Put respectively.

St. Jago High School (Girls) improved their Women 4×300 Meter Relay record of 2:47.72 done last year, winning in 2:45.50 ahead of The Queen School 2:47.51, also dipping below the old mark.

The Men’s 4×300 Meter went to Excelsior High School “A” in new record of 2:26.90 ahead of the Excelsior High School “B” finishing second in 2:29.68. The Eagles team improved on their old mark of 2:28.48 done in 2015.

The overall team ranking for women with 27 events contested were, 1) St. Jago High School – 370.5; 2) Excelsior High School – 210; 3) St Andrew High School – 94.

The top three in Boys section were: 1) Jamaica College – 193.5; 2) Excelsior High School – 189.5; 3) Kingston College – 177; .