Champs set to sizzle
THE 2017 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships is expected to really come alive this evening at the National Stadium.
A number of sizzling finals are expected and none should be more exciting than the expected clash between Kingston College’s Jhevaughn Matterson and Calabar High’s Michael Stephens in the Class One boys 100 metres final. Both won yesterday’s heats easily and it is now on to the semifinals which will run at 4 p.m. The final is set for 8.35 p.m.
Matherson was comfortable in qualifying for the semi-finals bouncing to a 10.76 win in his heat. Last year’s bronze medal winner will walk inside the National Stadium as the big favorite for the gold medal, but heavy is the head that wears the crown.
NO FEAR
On the prowl will be a Calabar lion. Stephens, the Class Two champion clocked 10.82 in qualifying and will have no fear when he lines up against his KC rival. They are the only two schoolboys to have gone under 10.40 seconds this season and it will take that sort of time
to secure the top spot on the podium in this one. Ten boys finals are scheduled for today.’. Meanwhile yesterday, St Jago High’s Roja Stona enjoyed it all the way while producing a gold medal effort in the Class One discus as favourites Kingston College (KC)
continued to lead the boys’ standings going into today’s fourth day.
KC led the standings with 74 points after seven finals. They are followed by Calaber (36), Jamaica College (32), Petersfield (31),and St Jago (27).
OVERJOYED
Stona won his event with a throw with a best of 61.85m and said then declared that he was overjoyed with the victory.
“It’s my personal event and I just went out to execute and that’s what I did,” said Stona.
Petersfield High’s Kevin Nedrick, the overwhelming prechamps favourite, took the silver with 57.48m while Douglas Cyrus of Jamaica College, 54.25m, was third.
Scott McLeod gave KC nine valuable points with his win in the Class Three high jump. He cleared 1.84m. Calabar’s Corey
Ottey was second with a mark of 1.81m while third went to Anthony Thrope of Herbert Morrison, 1.84m.
KC’s Carey McLeod will be hunting his gold medal of the championships when he competes in today’s final of the boys’ Class One triple jump.
McLeod, who won the boys Class One long jump on Wednesday, will enter today’s final with the best mark of 15.09m.
Calabar’s Gabriel Allen with the best of (14.99m), Owayne Owens from Cornwall (14.87), Andre Douglas of JC (14.62) and Munro’s Tevin Dunn (14.57) are other main contenders.
Maleik Smith will be hoping to win JC’s first gold of the championships when he competes in today’s final of the boys Class One 400m hurdles.
TOP CONTENDERS
Smith will enter the final with the fastest time of 52.20.
Calabar’s Aykeeme Francis (52.42), St Jago’s Timor Bennett (52.47) and St Elizabeth Technical’s Jauaveny James (52.67) are the other top contenders contenders.
Calabar are poised for a onetwo placing in the boys Class Two 400m hurdles final today, after outstanding performances from Nicquaine Henry, Andre Leslie in the heats.
Henry has fastest time of 54.00 entering final ahead of Leslie 54.15.
Rusea’s Brithton Senior (54.79), Jeremy Farr from Wolmer’s (55.15) and Devontie Archer of Excelsior are the other contenders for the gold medal.