John Mills on brink of 17 straight

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

John Mills are poised to gain a 17th consecutive lien on the INSPORTS All-Age and Junior High Athletics Championships title, as they have a 26-point advantage over their closest rivals, Windward Road, going into today's final day of the three-day meet being held at the National Stadium.

The defending champions lead with 118 points after 10 finals, five of which were contested on day two. Windward Road are second on 92 while Central Branch (49), Cockburn Gardens (41) and Rock Hall (27.5) round out the top five.

The highlight of the day came in the Class One boys' long jump where Windward Road's Aaron Thompson leapt 6.11 metres to better the old mark of 6.07m set by Shaquille McLeod last year. Two records have now been broken at the meet.

The 15-year-old attributed his success to self-belief and his coach.

"I was confident in myself that I could break the record," Thompson stated. "My coach, Owen Henry, told me that I was going to do it and I just believed in myself and went out there and did what he told me to do," he added.

pocketed silver

Central Branch's Travis Riley (6.06m) pocketed silver while the bronze medal was won by Rashawn Anderson (6.04m) of John Mills.

Riley was not to be denied his place on the gold medal podium, as his throw of 12.12m was good enough to capture the boys' shot put open. Augustus Grant of John Mills had a throw of 11.43m to earn silver while the bronze went to Camal Dyer (11.12m) of Cockburn Gardens.

Cockburn Gardens made it to the winners' circle in the Class Two boys' long jump where Je'Vaughn Lugg's leap of 5.68m brought him gold. Orane Bailey (5.57m) captured the silver medal ahead of Hotis Williams (5.44m) of John Mills.

John Mills' gold medals came in the Class Three girls' high jump and the Class Two boys' high jump. Ginnelle Grant won the girls' high jump with a clearance at 1.40m. Cockburn Gardens' Abreana McKoy (1.35m) claimed the silver ahead of Windward Road's Juvette Newton (1.30m).

The boys' high jump was captured by Davian Brown, as he was the only one to clear the 1.60m mark. The silver and bronze medals were claimed by Windward Road's Shakur Harrison (1.55m) and Cockburn Garden's Shemar Rattigan (1.50m), respectively.

Today's final day will see the running of 45 finals starting at 10 a.m., and John Mills' coach, Ransford Spaulding, expects his team to pull away and emerge easy winners.

"Come tomorrow we will blow away quite easily," Spaulding declared.