Holmwood takes charge at champs

DEFENDING GIRLS' champions, Holmwood Technical, took a stranglehold on the 2008 title after six finals at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Championships yesterday.

Holmwood, who ended the opening day a point behind Vere Technical, were, at press time last night, on 42 points, 13 ahead of their rivals. St. Hugh's produced a one-two finish in the shot put Open to jump to 27 points and third spot.

Wolmer's and St. Elizabeth Technical are tied for third on 20, followed by Edwin Allen, St Jago High and St Andrew High on 16 points each.

Surprise leaders

Calabar led the boys' standings with 39 points, ahead of Jamaica College (35) and Kingston College (34). The top three were followed by Wolmer's, 20, and St Jago, seven.

Twenty-two finals will be decided today including the 100 metres in all classes, the 400m hurdles Open for boys and girls and the 1,500m in classes One, Two and Three for girls and classes One and Two for boys.

Today's first event, the boys' Class Two shot put final, begins at 8:30 a.m.

Two more records were set and one equalled yesterday. Opal James of St Elizabeth Technical leapt 5.52m in the Class Four long jump to add six centimetres to the mark set in 2003 by St Jago's Kadian Samuels.

Shanice McPheron of Holmwood took silver with 5.40m while Edwin Allen's Trisharna Smith did 5.22m, for third.

Break record

St Hugh's Micara Vassell threw the shot 12.80m to break the 12.57m set last year by Deborah Rose of Holmwood. Vassell's teammate, Candicea Bernard, also went past the old mark taking silver with 12.70m. Kerone Walker of Wolmer's, 11.11m, was third.

Shanice Hall of Wolmer's and St Elizabeth Technical's Petagaye Reid equalled the Class Three girls high jump record, 1.74m, in placing first and second, respectively, in yesterday's final.

The record was set in 1997 by Meadowbrook's Shelly Ann Gallimore. Janieve Russell of Holmwood, 1.70m, was third.

Chad Scott and K'Don Samuels gave Jamaica College a big lift with a one-two in the pole vault Open.

Only five athletes cleared the opening height of 3.00m with Scott topping his rivals with a fairly good 4.20m. Samuels got over 4.10m, while Calabar's Devon Dobson, 4.00m, was third.

Bellefield High's Kemoy Campbell, the athlete expected to lower the Class One 1500m mark, 3:51.97, set 16 years ago by Vere Technical's Dudley Dawkins had the fifth fastest time in the heats.

Campbell, the Class Two record-holder was third in his heat in 4:03.28. Holmwood's Lorenzo Wedderburn won in 4:02.92 ahead of Calabar's Rory Rhoden, 4:03.26.

Title favourites Calabar placed two athletes in today's final, Andre Thomas (4:09.52) was third in the second heat won in 4:09.36 by another Holmwood athlete, Wayne McIntyre.

Underscored strength

Holmwood's boys underlined their strength in the middle distances when Kevin White also registered the fastest time for Class Two 1500m.

White won the second of two heats in 4:14.25 from Greater Portmore's Rando Gunn, 4:15.32.

Heat one was won in 4:1.96 by Munro College's Errol Davis. Jamaica College's Waquar Da-Costa, one of the top contenders for this event, was second in heat one in 4:18.41.

girl dem a gwaan go ....props for dem