Photo: Kimar Farquharson of Calabar holds on to take the win in 1:54.41 in the Class 2 Boys 800m ahead of Aryamanya Rodgers of Kingston College who finished second in 1:54.44 at the Youngster Goldsmith Classics at the National Stadium on Saturday.
The Youngster Goldsmith Classics is renowned for the hurdles and field events that it offers the student athletes preparing for the annual ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships each year. The pole vault and javelin events are two events not offered at most development meets throughout the season.
But it was the special invitational half mile event for boys that had fans in a tizzy on Saturday inside the National Stadium.
In the late afternoon, as the descending sun cast its usual shadow of the grandstand across the home stretch of the blue synthetic track, the excitement in the grandstand reached fever pitch. Fans jumped, screamed and shouted in delight as the boys from Class 3 to Class 1 produced three engaging races.
Starting with Class 3, the twins from Kingston College, Giouvonni and Gianni Henry battled with J’Voughnn Blake of Jamaica College from the gun to the tape. With just about 50m to go Giouvonni led his brother and Blake by about a meter and managed to pull away to win by two clear meters in 2:05.32.
But Gianni, who found himself boxed in by Blake, had to battle with his opponent all the way to the line, leaning at the right moment to finish second, much to the delight of some of his teammates who had gathered on the cycle track and also the fans in the grandstand.
The Class 2 event is the one the fans are still talking about even now. Kimar Farquharson of Calabar has a big reputation and he went head to head with KC’s Ugandan import Aryamanya Rodgers in a classic race.
The pair separated themselves from the rest of the pack very early and exchanged the lead on the back stretch during the final lap, but it was Farquharson who led off the final turn. Rodgers pressed hard over the last 80m but the Calabar star refused to relent and despite the desperate dive of the KC stand out at the tape, it was Farquharson who prevailed to take the win in 1:54.41 with Rodgers finishing second in 1:54.44. Richard Brown of Ruseas High was third in 2:01.80.
There was a loud roar from the Calabar fans as their athlete held on for the win and the friendly banter between the KC and Calabar fans could be heard minutes after the race had ended.
The Class One Boys event produced a blanket finish and in the end it was yet another Calabar win with Javon-Taye Williams finishing first in 1:55.52, Ackeen Colley of Ruseas High second in 1:55.62 and Rayon Butler of St. Elizabeth Technical third in 1:55.65.
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