#GLNRChamps: Watson, Morris, Salmon among 400m gold medal winners

Petersfield's Antonio Watson, the World Under-18 champion, as usual left it late, but again came out on top as he claimed gold in the Class Two boys 400m final at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships on Super Saturday. 

Calabar's Evaldo Whitehorne, 47.15 seconds, did all the early running but had no answer for the fast finishing Watson, who caught him near the line and stopped the clock at47.08 seconds. Glenmuir's Zidane Brown, 47.73 got the bronze medal. 

"I know I have the strength, my coach always tells me that finishing is my strong point and I know I had to take control of that," he said after his win. 

Kingston College team captain Dashawn Morris produced the race of his life in wining the Class One 400m event in an amazing time of 45.09 seconds, to finish ahead of Calabar's Anthony Carpenter, who also registered a personal best - 45.47, and Chevannie Hanson from Edwin Allen, 46.03. 

Hydel secured maximum points in the Class One girls 400m final with Shiann Salmon, 52.05 seconds, outlasting her team-mate Charokee Young, 52.82 and STETHS' Stacey-Ann Smith, 53.30 in an exciting contest at the National Stadium. 

Salmon, who had to hold off Young in a hot battle down the stretch, said she was always confident in her race strategy and never got worried despite the close contest.

"I had my race strategy, when she (Young) joined me I knew I did not have to panic," she said after the event. ​​

Salmon, who was winning her second gold medal of the championships, after she won the Class One 400m hurdles on Friday in new record time of 51.88, was very happy with her performance.

“I am very elated because I just went out there to gather points for my team and that is what I did and I am very happy,” said Salmon.  

"I feeling very good that I was able to win two gold medals because I put in the work and it paid off,” she said.

Holmwood’s Danielle Deer won the girls Class Two 400m in a personal best time of 53.06. St Andrew’s High Janielle Josephs was second also in a personal best time of 53.24 seconds. Hydel’s Garriel White was third also in a personal best of 53.34 seconds.  

Holmwood competed the double when Rickiann Russell won the girls Class Three 400m in personal best time of 53.60 seconds. Russell’s teammate Toriann Noad was third in 55.25 seconds while second went to Oneika McaNuff from Hydel in 53.77 seconds.