Records tumble as KC, XLCR take early Corporate Area lead

IT WAS records galore on yesterday’s first day of the two-days Digicel/Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet, inside the National Stadium, where Kingston College and Excelsior took control of the race for the cash prize of $250,000, after taking the lead among the boys and girls.

Kingston College have so far racked up 70 points, after six finals and they are followed by Jamaica College 57, Calabar 49, Wolmer’s Boys 17 and Excelsior 16 closing out the top five. Defending champions Excelsior, after 11 finals, lead on the girls side on 92 points with Immaculate 46, Camperdown 45, St Andrew High 45 and the Queen’s High 44.

It was all record runs in the three 1500m finals among the boys, with Jamaica College’s J’Voughnn Blake leading the way in what was the performance of the day in the Boy’s Class Two event. Blake, clocked an amazing 3:56.13, to erase the two year-old record of Kingston College’s Aryamanya Rogers, 3:59.59. Kingston College’s Gianna Henry, 4:03.50 and Giovanni Henry 4:05.22 occupied second and third.

“I basically came out to do what I had to do, as it was all about executing as my coach said. The strategy was to go to the front early and I did that because I know I have the potential to finish strongly,” said Blake, who believes he can go much faster.

Calabar’s Rivaldo Marshall, had too much class for his opponents in Class One, winning in 3:56.13. Another Calabar man, Kevroy Venson, 3:58.83, was second with third going to Kingston College’s Tarees Rhoden in 3:59.12.

Kingson College’s Jaquan Coke closed the 1500 metres record streak, after topping the Class Three event in 4:22.63 to getting the better of Kennaria Bygrave of Jamaica Colllege, 4:23.40 and Darrel Edwards of Kingston College, 4:26.36.

Kai Chang (Calabar) warmed up for Champs with a record throw of 58.91 metres to take the Class One discus event removing his old mark of 57.03 metres set last year. Team-mate Zackry Dillon, 47.51 metres was way back in second with Kingston College’s Tahj Mullings occupying third with 46.86 metres.

Also winning big yesterday was Kingston College’s Ralford Mullings in the Class Two event after a magnificent throw of 61.85 metres to erase his one year-old record of 50.38 metres. Rashaun Beinetzen, 43.27m of Wolmer’s Boys and Jean Paul Campbell of Jamaica College, 42.85 metres took second and third respectively.

Excelsior’s Shauntae Foreman was the star performer amongst the girls after producing two record-breaking performances. Foreman the champion in both jumping events in Class Three last year, first had a winning clearance of 1.75 metres to win the high jump , before returning to go 6.29 metres to smash the previous record of 6.29 metres in winning the long jump, to have the top mark in the class going into Champs.

Another fine performance on the day came in the Class Four long jump, as Immaculate’s Jounaee Armstrong continued her impressive form this season, in the long jump, as she became the longest female jumper ever in her Class, with a smashing 5.85 metres for the win to erase St. Andrew High’s Janiel Joseph’s 2014 mark of 5.14 metres. Her teammate Lori Choy finished second with 5.22 metres with St Andrew High’s Justine Royal taking third with 4.97 metres.

Sixty eight finals are down to be contested today.