JC hunt elusive Champs title
The last time Jamaica College held both Manning Cup and Mortimer Geddes trophies was in 1940, and assistant coach Dwayne Johnson is hoping his team can upset the favourites and capture the track and field title, which has eluded them since 2011. “This is one of our strongest teams in years, and we are ensuring all of our quality athletes are healthy and ready to go. We have geared our preparations towards Champs and not so much the development meets,” Johnson told STAR Sports at a recent training session. Johnson is tasked with preparing the middle-distance team for the championships, and with the likes of Ken Reyes, Dejaun Blackman and J’Voughnn Blake leading the charge, the team is not short on confidence. And Johnson is expecting them to deliver. “I am expecting to get very good production from these boys. They have been doing well all season, and now that we are unloading for Champs, I am expecting them to go faster,” said Johnson. The Old Hope Road-based institution were reigning champions when current team captain Chislon Gordon entered first form. Fastforward to his final season, the captain is hoping to end with a title. “It would mean the world to me. Seeing that I started JC on a high, I want to leave on a high also. I just want the guys to remain humble and stay focused and do their best,” said Gordon, who has ambitions of studying kinesiology. Olympian and former Jamaica College student athlete Fitzroy Dunkley, who coincidentally was on the last squad to win the title, is keeping faith in his team. “I expect the young Fervets to compete at the highest level, with victory on their mind and settling for nothing less than greatness,” shared Dunkley from his Louisiana training base. Can Jamaica College capture their 22nd title? One thing is for sure: work will be burning in the field.