The Lions roar again!
Brown, Turner log massive one-two for defending champs
THE EXPLOITS of Nicholloyd Brown and Jordan Turner in the boys’ Class Three long jump final at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, was a key result in the rally by defending champions Calabar during yesterday’s competition at the National Stadium.
Calabar started the day over 30 points behind Kingston College, who started the championships as the huge favourites to lift the Mortimer Geddes Trophy.
Kingston College (74 points) started the day well ahead of Calabar on 36 points, but the one-two finish of Brown and Turner, saw the ‘Purples’ lead being cut to 24 points at the end of that event, with both athletes expressing satisfaction having made such a vital contribution to their school’ s efforts.
“From the start of the season, we have been working hard and we came out and got the one-two. I didn’t really expect to make the jump I made, but I thank God for it,” Brown told The Gleaner.
Brown disturbed the sand at 6.65m on his best jump with Turner registering a 6.60m distance with Ardenne’s Eniola Johnson finishing third with 6.27m. KC’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie was fifth with a 5.99m jump, which brought in four points.
Turner, who arrived as the favourite for the gold medal, said the result was not a surprising one to him and underlined that the 16 points garnered by the pair revitalised their championship hopes.
“I expected it. We could have jumped further, but we just didn’t execute the way we should have. But we put in some really hard training for this and we deserve it. The points will give us a boost and we can win the championship with the boost from that 16 points,” Turner noted. COULD HAVE JUMPED FARTHER
Although surprised he got the better of his teammate, Brown thought he could have gone farther and beat Munro’s Paul Thompson’s 21 year-old record of 6.97m. “I was looking to go seven metres and get the record but it didn’t work out, but it’s really big points for the school because the championship will be close and to really contribute and give the school 16 points was great,” Brown said. “I am really pleased with the gold medal. I didn’t know I was coming to the championship to win the gold, so I have to thank God for bringing me this far injury-free, but I was really surprised as I was trying to stay with him (Turner) for the one–- t wo but I came through victorious,” he added. Although favoured to win Turner was not disappointed to lose to his teammate. “I don’t feel any way. In my mind, I didn’t expect anybody else to beat me but my teammate,” he said.