Records fall at SW Isaac Invitational

WITH JUST over six weeks to go before the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), high-school athletes turned up the heat at yesterday’s seventh staging of the SW Isaac Track and Field Invitational inside the National Stadium, with several meet records falling.

Wolmer’s Girls’ School’s Tiana Marshall and Kingston College’s (KC’s) Amal Glasgow led the way on the track, with Marshall stopping the clock in the Class Three 80-metre hurdles in 11.63 seconds, shaving one hundredth of a second off Ackera Nugent’s 2017 mark.

Ackeelah Ellis of St Catherine High School (11.79) and her teammate, Michaelann Lindo (11.81), were second and third.

In the Class Four 70-metre hurdles, Jadea Harris of Wolmer’s, who won in 11.16 seconds, and in the Class One 100-metre hurdles, St Catherine High School’s Asharia Ulett, who stopped the clock at 13.81 seconds, both notched new meet records.

Earlier, Holmwood Technical’s girls had stolen the spotlight, mining a quinella in the Open 1,500 metres through Cindy Rose’s record run of 4 minutes 44.53 seconds (4:44.53) and Andrene Peart’s 4:49.41. Janeel Henry of Holy Childhood High School was third in 4:49.80 seconds.

Analise Brady was also victorious for Holmwood in the Open 400-metre hurdles, winning in 1:00.01.

The Hydel duo of Natassia Fletcher and Abbigail Campbell recorded good wins in the 400 metres. In Class Two, Campbell posted a record 55.65 seconds, while, in Class Three, Fletcher stopped the clock at 57.67 seconds.

KC’s Glasgow was impressive, winning the Class One Boys’ 400 metres in a new record of 47.43 seconds. His teammate, Emmanuel Rwotomiya, ended second in 48.06 seconds, while St Andrew Technical High School’s (STATHS) Chevoney Reid was third in 48.70.

Antonio Forbes of KC remained unbeaten this season in the Class One 400-metre hurdles, posting the fastest time this year with a record-breaking 52.11 seconds. His teammates Diego Stewart, 52.55, and Shamari Jennings, 53.25, were second and third.

Calabar athletes were also in good form, with Junior Gallimore (54.50) giving them their first win on the day in the Class Two 400-metre hurdles. Excelsior High School’s Demarco Bennett was second in 54.99 seconds.

Keith Downer was first in the Open 1,500 metres for the Red Hills Road team, winning in 4:13.30, while, in the Class Two 400 metres, Donte Mendez won in 49.94.

Later in the day, Jamaica College’s Malique Band Smith was in terrific form in the Boys’ Class Two 200 metres, posting a record 21.15 seconds to top the field. Rwotomiya of KC, 21.38, and Reid of STATHS, 21.66, ended second and third.

In the field, Calabar’s Kobe Lawrence, World Under-20 shot put silver medallist, returned to winning ways in the Class One Boys’ Discus with a record throw of 60.14 metres. Clarendon College’s Ricardo Hayles, 56.63, and Racquil Brodreick of Jamaica College, 56.49, ended second and third, respectively.

Jamaica College swept the top-three spots in the Boys’ Class Two long jump, with Michael Edwards leading the way with a record mark of 6.65 metres. Teammates Euan Young, 6.63, and Kadi Grant, 6.48, ended second and third.