Hydel’s girls, Excelsior’s boys were among the big winners at Champs

THE DUST has now settled following the conclusion of the 2024 ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs). Edwin Allen High regained the girls’ title for win number 10 and Kingston College retained the boys’ crown for title number 35.

While both schools took the top prizes, there are others, based on their overall performances over the five days, that could be considered winners for their exceptional display, while there were others that could be branded underachievers after failing to ‘fire’ at the meet.

The defending girls’ champions, Hydel, were definitely among the big winners, while Excelsior High get the nod on the boys’ side. Among the great underachievers were 10-time girls’ champions Holmwood Technical and two-time boys’ champions, St Jago High.

The Corey Bennett-coached Hydel were projected by most analysts to be more than 80 points behind Edwin Allen, who were the clear favourites to go all the way. However, in the end the Michael Dyke-coached team just barely held on for the win from a rampant Hydel, especially on the final day of the championship.

Edwin Allen led by 48 points going into the final day of competition and, after big performances in the 800m, stretched that lead, and at one stage they had a 78 points lead and looked like cruising to an easy victory. However, a late surge by Hydel significantly reduced the deficit and with the final three events of the meet remaining, the title could have gone either way as Edwin Allen only had a narrow 11.5 points lead.

Edwin Allen could be considered a bit fortunate in the end, as Hydel suffered a major blow on the track when they had the momentum going their way. Top Class Four 70m hurdler Arrian Nelson, who was favoured for the gold medal and nine precious points, fell in the final and failed to finish. Edwin Allen’s Tashana Godfrey won the event.

Hydel were the dominant team on the final day. Captain Alliah Baker won the Class One 200m after Teixiera Johnson won the half-lap event in Class Four. Others who piled up the points for Hydel included Shania Myers in Class One 100m hurdles and long jump, Abigail Campbell in Class 1 800m, Olivia St John in Class Two 100m hurdles, Annieka Carnegie in Class Three 80m hurdles, Zavien Bernard in Class Three high jump, Kaydene Johnson in the 3000m open, and Shemonique Hazle and Jody-Ann Daley in the Class Two 200m.

The Hydel girls fought gallantly to defend their title and in the end fell short by just 9.5 points, which was a brave effort from them.

It’s a championships which Holmwood would like to put behind them quickly, as they failed to ‘fire’. Holmwood only registered one win at the championships and this came on the final day when Jovi Rose won the Class Two 800m.

Holmwood were third last year with 202 points, but fell one place to fourth with 149 points. Their score was more than doubled by winners Edwin Allen on 333.5 and second-place Hydel on 326. The former champions will have a lot of work to do going forward.

Kingston College, Jamaica College, Calabar High and St Jago were expected to occupy the top four spots among the boys at the end of the championships, but Excelsior High surprised many with their performances.

While the top three placings went according to projections, the David Riley-coached Excelsior produced one of their best overall performances in decades, finishing fourth with 122 points, just 32 behind third-place Calabar and 10.5 better than fifth-place St Jago. Last year Excelsior finished eighth with 57 points.

The small Excelsior boys’ squad had exceptional performances in Classes One and Two. In Class Two, they were led by Demarco Bennett, who posted personal-best times of 46.91 and 51.70 to win the 400m and 400m hurdles. Malike Nugent was second in the 100m, and both ran on the winning 4x100m team which clocked 40.35, just missing the 40.29 record.

In one of the big upsets of the championships, Damor Miller captured the Class One 100m in a personal-best 10.31. His teammate Daniel Wright also pulled off a big win in the 400m hurdles, spoiling the Kingston College party by winning in 50.71 seconds.

Excelsior punched well above their weight, and they could be a real force in the next three or four years.

St Jago were favoured to finish in the top four, and many saw them even clipping Calabar for third, but they also failed to fire.

They went into the championships without the outstanding Marquies Page, a big favourite to win the Class Three 100m/100m hurdles double, and top Class Two high jumper Patrick Brown, but it was still a disappointing performance from the Bert Cameron-coached team.

With a very youthful team, however, St Jago should rebound very soon.