Edwin Allen, St Jago again

DEFENDING GIRLS champions Edwin Allen and their male counterparts St Jago High dominated the second and final day of the Central Athletics Championships at G.C. Foster College, successfully retaining their titles.

Edwin Allen’s girls secured victory with 389 points, followed by Holmwood Technical (310), Hydel (279), Vere Technical (204), and St Jago (152.5).

St Jago finished with 327 points, ahead of Edwin Allen (267), Clarendon College (132), Manchester High (110), and St Catherine High (72).

Both winning coaches expressed satisfaction with their teams’ performances.

“I am pleased with the overall performance of the team. The objective was to compete and remain injury-free and we achieved that. This serves as a platform heading into the Inter-Secondary Championships, as the team that wins here often goes on to win at Champs,” said Edwin Allen’s head coach, Michael Dyke.

St Jago’s first-time boys’ head coach, Jermaine Phipps, praised his young team.

“We are in a rebuilding phase and they delivered strong performances over both days. This sets the foundation for the future and we will continue to build on it,” he said.

Edwin Allen showcased their dominance early, with Class 1 athlete Kelly-Ann Carr securing victory in the Open girls’ 400-metre hurdles in a season-best 57.27 seconds, ahead of Hydel’s Aaliyah Mullings (1:00.16) and Vere’s Charissa December (1:00.71).

Carr also won the Class 1 400 metres on the previous day, upsetting Hydel’s favourite, Abigail Campbell, with a personal-best 52.57s. Campbell finished second in 52.98s.

Dominican sprinter Kerelle Etienne claimed her second win of the meet by taking the Class 2 200m in 23.86 seconds, following her 100m victory the day before.

Jounee Armstrong rebounded from her Class 1 100m loss to Hydel’s Shemoniqe Hazle by winning the 200m in 23.60, narrowly edging out Jody-Ann Daley of Hydel (23.61s). Daley later secured the Class 1 100m hurdles title in 13.42, with Holmwood’s Keira Meikle second in 13.48s.

Edwin Allen dominated the sprint hurdles, with Amoya Morris winning the Class 4 70m hurdles in a photo finish against St Jago’s Shanice Williams (both clocking 10.49). In Class 3, Tashana Godfrey maintained her unbeaten season with an 11.17-second victory in the 80m hurdles, followed by teammate Macaela Gordon in 11.41.

Edwin Allen also clinched three out of four 4x100-metre relay titles, winning Class 4 in 48.19, Class 3 in 46.75, and Class 2 in 45.92.

St Jago’s Ryan Achua led the charge for his team, delivering a record-breaking performance in the boys’ Open 5000m with a time of 16:54.11.

In the boys’ Class 3 200m, St Jago secured a quinella, with Rajaun Romelly setting a record 22.29 seconds and teammate Javarie Edwards finishing second in 22.65.

St Jago also swept the sprint relays, with Jaun-Tae Halliman winning the Class 2 100-metre hurdles in 13.29 seconds, Nikaro Johnson claiming the Class 2 110m hurdles in 14.70, and Brandon Harris taking the Class 1 110m hurdles in 14.1.