Calabar shines at New York State indoors

CALABAR HIGH School secured three victories at the inaugural New York State International Invitational Indoor Track and Field Meet, held last weekend at the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Facility in Staten Island.

The meet, the brainchild of Olympian, Jamaican quarter-miler Sanjay Ayre, brought together several Jamaican high school athletes to compete against their US counterparts. Over the two days of competition, five facility records and five US leading marks were achieved.

Sprint hurdler Shaquane Gordon recorded the first Jamaican win of the meet, claiming the 55-metre international hurdles in a record-breaking 7.01 seconds, which also set a new Jamaican national record.

The Calabar team of Nickocey Bramwell, Keano Charles, Gordon, and Jamal Stephenson secured the school’s second record of the meet when they won the Boys’ 4x200-metre Relay in 1:26.90.

Calabar’s third victory came from Jamal Stephenson, who won the Boys’ 55-metre dash in 6.33 seconds. Johan Ramaldo Smythe of Muschett High School finished fourth in 6.43 seconds.

Muschett’s Shanoya Douglas also shared the spotlight with a win in the Girls’ 300 metres, giving Jamaican athletes their fourth victory of the meet. Douglas, the World under-20 200-metre bronze medallist, clocked 37.78 seconds in the event. She later secured second place in the 55m dash in 6.91 seconds behind Lisa Raye of West Warwick High School, who won in 6.74.

Smythe, after placing fourth in the 55m, returned to take second in the Boys’ 200m with a time of 21.55 seconds, narrowly beaten by Shawn McCallum of George Washington High, who also clocked 21.55 seconds but won on a photo finish.

Sabrina Atkinson of Hydel High was second in the Girls’ high jump, while Daniel Wright of Excelsior High secured the runner-up spot in the Boys’ 400m with a time of 34.17 seconds.

Following the meet, Ayre expressed his satisfaction with the athletes’ performances.

“I am extremely proud of the achievements of the athletes over the two days of competition. Our objectives were achieved. For the first international high school indoor meet held in the United States, the results were excellent. With so many records broken and personal bests achieved, it shows the quality of the meet and bodes well for the future,” said Ayre.