CHAMPS IN JAMAICA: Sprinters ignite Champs....Jamaica College surge to lead on day three with 42 points....St Jago High’s Martin Manley, Calabar High’s Boys’ Class One sprinter Michael O’Hara, Kingston College’s Zharnel Highes looked awesome

BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, March 28, 2014    

JAMAICA College surged to the lead of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships with 42 points, 12 ahead of Kingston College (KC) on 30.5 and Calabar with 21 points after six finals at the National Stadium last night.

St Jago High’s Martin Manley in action
 in the Boys’ Class One 200m yesterday.
 Calabar High’s Boys’ Class One sprinter
 Michael O’Hara in action yesterday.
Kingston College’s Zharnel Highes looked
awesome in the Boys’ Class Two 200m
 yesterday. (PHOTOS:
BRYAN CUMMINGS)

Warren Barrett Jnr of Cornwall College broke the Class Two shot put record with a massive heave of 18.18m and erased the 2009 mark of 17.41m set by Calabar's Ashina Miller. It was the third boys' record of the championship following exploits by Christopher Taylor in the Class Three 400m heats on Tuesday and Obrian Frith in the 2,000m Steeplechase on Wednesday. Kevin Nedrick of Petersfield was second with 16.08m and Wolmers' Kyle Mitchell third with 16.03m.

Meanwhile, Basil Bingham finally got defending champion Calabar off the mark easily winning the Class One discus throw with 60.29m, well clear of Glendford Watson of Petersfield High with 54.21m. Demar Gayle of Edwin Allen was third with 53.36m. Alec-Verne Longmor of JC was fourth with 50.08m ahead of Andre Beckford of Calabar in fifth.

JC's Malik Cunningham outlasted Calabar's Ricardo Clarke to win the Class Three high jump on the count back. Both athletes leapt to 1.86m. Alexander Thompson of STGC was third with 1.80m ahead of Cedric Titus' Samuel Jordan also with 1.80. more