JC stutter on day one; KC, Calabar fare better
JAMAICA College had a miserable start to the 109th staging of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (Issa)/gracekennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, as several of their proverbial big guns failed to progress on the opening day at the National Stadium yesterday.
Such were the fortunes of the Old Hope Road team, which is now under the guidance of Neil Harrison, that Tajay Bromfield, who was heavily favoured for gold medal in the javelin throw open, missed out on the final, while Class Three 800m representative Kemario Bygrave was disqualified from that event.
Bromfield had been in superb form all season, having launched the instrument well over 55 metres on several occasions and was on course to clear the 60m mark following a 59.56m-throw, but he failed to replicate that form when it mattered most yesterday and could only manage 44.57m.
That mark saw Bromfield ending 18th overall in the preliminaries, as he was way off the 50m qualifying mark. Donroy Brown (51.61m) is now left to fly JC’S flag in the event which they were predicted to score 10 points.
Bromfield’s absence from the final could pave the way for last year’s silver and bronze medal winners Brandon Mclaren (50.76m) of Rusea’s High and Santino Anglin (50.58m) of Petersfield to battle for the gold.
However, Kingston College (KC) with Akeel Hanchard, who topped all qualifiers with 54.76m and Alex Williams (50.61m), could also capitalise, so too could defending champions Calabar through Odayne Harris (54.41m) and Shadane Adamson (52.37m).
Another noticeable hiccup for Jamaica College was the absence of Safin Willis from the long jump where he was tipped for a medal. But his teammate Alexander Thompson (7.13m), formerly of Calabar, will carry the hopes of silverware.
Favourite Wayne Pinnock of KC qualified comfortably with one jump of 7.62m in a negative 0.7 mps wind reading from Flight One, with his teammate Shacquille Lowe (7.20m) also safely through.
Kavian Kerr (7.48m) of St Jago, St Elizabeth Technical’s Michael Buchanan (7.35m) and Waukeem Walters (7.33m) of Wolmer’s Boys also surpassed the qualifying mark of 7.00 metres, while Calabar’s Lamar Reid (6.86m) stayed up to ensure his team had a presence in the final.
The 800m event looks set for some fireworks in the final as all the top athletes, with the exception of JC’S Bygrave, easily qualified for the semi-finals set for tomorrow.
Bygrave was among nine disqualifications from Class Three for cutting across too early.
The impressive Tavaughn Reid of Bellefield had no such problems as he comfortably progressed with a time of 2:02.85, joined by KC’S Jaquan Coke (2:04.13) and Schevorn Wardlow (2:08.56).
Calabar’s duo of Craig Prendergast (2:07.64) and Rajay Thomas (2:10.70) also progressed along with St Jago’s Alex Taylor (2:08.28) and Nathaniel Mcleod (2:08.47).
The Class Two 800m is also shaping up quite well as KC’S Gianni Henry was quickest into the semi-final with 2:00.82 minutes, with his brother Giovouni Henry (2:03.59) set to accompany.
David Martin of Calabar was second best in 2:01.04, with his teammate Kewarny Fletcher (2:04.02) also progressing along with JC’S duo of J’voughnn Blake (2:01.14) and Omari Davis (2:02.72).
Meanwhile, in what is deemed one of the big races of the championship, the Class One 800m qualifiers whetted the appetites of the spectators as the top runners all cruised into the semi-finals.
Favourite Tyrice Taylor of Enid Bennett was quickest overall, clocking a comfortable 1:55.64 in heat one, pulling David Thompson (1:56.50) of Bridgeport High.
Tyrese Reid of Spot Valley was also comfortable in heat two in 1:56.87and seems set to make his first final at this championship. He finished ahead of Marcus Hutchinson (1:57.33) of Clarendon College.
Calabar’s Kimar Farquharson ran a relaxed 1:57.97 in heat three, so too did JC’S Dugion Blackman (1:56.78) in heat four, with Tarees Rhoden of KC also reserving his energy, winning heat five in 1:58.56.
Earlier, JC’S Jayd’n Johnson (13.52) led the qualifiers through to the next round of the Class Three 100m hurdles in a negative 2.6 mps wind speed, and will be joined by temmate Matthew Malcolm (13.88).
KC’S impressive duo of overwhelming favourite Amontae Wray (13.61) and Ra’john Gray (13.88) also progressed comfortably, along with another medal prospect Allem Pinto (13.72) of St Elizabeth Technical.