Vere, Wolmer’s take early lead at Champs

Vere Technical and Wolmer’s Boys were the early pacesetters after yesterday’s opening day of the centennial staging of the four-day ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships at the National Stadium.



After two girls’ finals, Vere Technical lead with 16 points, three more than Wolmer’s on 13. The top two are followed by St Hugh’s, St Elizabeth Technical and defending champions Holmwood on nine each, while favourites Edwin Allen are on eight, St Jago 5 and St Andrew High 4.



Wolmer’s secured a one-two finish in the Class One Long Jump, the only boys’ final on the day. They lead with 16 points, 10 ahead of second place Campion College on six. Calabar are third on five, followed by St George’s on four and defending champions Kingston College on three.



Kemal Fuller won the gold medal in the Class One long jump with a leap of 7.45 metres to finish ahead of his Wolmer’s teammate Ramone Bailey who jumped 7.38 metres.



Meanwhile, two records were broken on the opening day.



Calabar High’s Chad Wright accounted for the first record when he smashed the Boys’ Class One Discus mark in the morning.



Wright threw 52.16 metres in the preliminary round to smash the previous record of 51.43 metres, which was set last year by schoolmate Travis Smikle, the World Youth bronze medallist.



Candicea Bernard of St Hugh’s High accounted for the day’s other record.



She produced a throw of 46.76 metre to win Girls’ Class One Discus, erasing the 2008 mark of 45.13 metre set by Holmwood Technical’s Salcia Slack.



Second place Vanessa Levy of Vere Technical also bettered the mark with a throw of 45.85 metres, while Kenisha Stewart of Edwin Allen ended third with a throw of 37.97 metres.



Meanwhile Rochelle Farquharson of St Elizabeth Technical High School became the first gold medal winner at the centenary celebrations of the meet.



She won the Girls’ Triple Jump Open with a leap of 13.20 metres, ahead of the Wolmer’s pair of Samantha Francis, 12.68 metres; and Jeanelle Facey, 12.50 metres.



Seven finals, four girls and three boys, are scheduled for today’s second day, which starts at 8:30 a.m.



The girls’ finals are the Class Three High Jump at 10:45; Class Four Long Jump and Shot Put Open at 4:10; and Class Two Long Jump at 6:10.



The boys’ finals are the Pole Vault Open and Class Three High Jump at 5 o’clock and Class One Discus at 5:10.