Bittersweet gold for Terrelonge

IT ISN’T often that a gold medal winner at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships isn’t all smiles, but that was the case for Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, who, after a sluggish start yesterday at the National Stadium, won the Girls’ Class 2 100 metres.

The victory brought nine points to title-chasing Edwin Allen, but for Terrelonge, the disappointment of seeing the record of 11.16 seconds remain left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Terrelonge would cross the tape in 11.22, a personal best, but clearly much slower than she and many at the National Stadium felt she could go.

Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery, who led the race for a long time, was second in 11.36, while St Jago’s Brianna Campbell was third in 11.48.

Ferncourt’s Rihanna Scott suffered her first defeat of the season yesterday as Hydel’s Teixiera Johnson raced to an impressive win in the Class 4 100 final, clocking a personal best 11.87s. Wolmer’s Girls’ Mick-Kayla Gardener was second in 12.27, relegating the seemingly injured Scott to third in 12.31.

In Class 3, Wolmer’s Natrece East remained unbeaten in the event, winning in a personal best, 11.42, to improve on her second-place finish a year ago.

St Jago’s Adora Campbell was second in a personal best, 11.52 while Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne was third in 11.73.

Hydel captain Aaliah Baker was in impressive form, winning the Class 1 100 metres in a personal best, 11.34. Baker got the better of Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong, 11.52, and Wolmer’s Mick-Kayla Gardener, 11.59.

Boys’ 100 metres

Mario Ross of Wolmer’s captured the boys’ Class 3 100 metres in 10.88 seconds, finishing ahead of Calabar’s Ched Brown, 10.90, and St George’s College’s Naethan Bryan, 11.02.

KC’s Nathan Wade took Class 2 in a personal best 11.43, ahead of Excelsior’s Malik Nugent, 10.52, while Tavaine Stewart of Herbert Morrison Technical was third in 10.55.

Excelsior’s Damor Miller sealed the night’s proceedings with an upset win in the Class 1 Boys’ 100 metres, clocking a personal best 10.31. Calabar’s Khamane Gordon pulled off a coup in the race as well, finishing second in 10.37. KC’s Yourie Lawrence Clarke was third in 10.45.

While there was the slightest bit of disappointment for Terrelonge, who missed the Class 2 100 record, there was absolute elation for St Jago’s Kimieka Smith, who broke the Class 2 shot put record with a massive heave of 16.44 metres.

The personal best mark broke the 2018 mark of 15.99 done by former Immaculate High School thrower Danielle Sloley.

Back on the track, JC dominated the 1500 metres, winning in Classes 2 and 3.

Cavel Nooks remained unbeaten in Class 3, winning in 4:27.10, ahead of Phililip Palmer of St Jago, 4:35.44. Bevin Davey took third for JC in 4:35.86.

The big upset happened in in Class 2.

Like he did two years ago in Class 3, JC’s Samuel Creary won in 4:04.01 to surprise KC’s Nahashon Ruto, second in 4:04.23. Raheem Palmer of Alphansus Davis was third in 4:19.61.

In a stirring homestretch battle, KC’s Brian Kiprop held off a determined Kemarrio Bygrave of Jamaica College to win Class 1 in 3:56.81. Bygrave was second in 3:57.34 while Barrain Smith of St Elizabeth Technical High School was third in 3:59.08.