Kingston College Principal Dave Myrie hoisting the Mortimer Geddes Trophy.
Kingston College produced a dominant display to secure their 34th hold on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships held at the National Stadium in Kingston from March 28-April 1.
KC amassed an impressive 366 points, comfortably ahead of rivals Jamaica College (299 points) and Calabar High (207 points) in second and third.
On Monday, the school, celebrating their 98th year of existence, held a ceremony commemorate the historic achievement at their North Street home.
“Never bet against KC,” said Principal Dave Myrie at Monday’s celebration.
“When it comes to these championships, KC’s going to dig deep and we are going to fight. Our motto says ‘The Brave May Fall but Never Yield’ so we’re not going to yield to anybody. When we get out there on the field of play, we are going out there to win. If a better man beats us and wins, we’ll say well done but we are going to continue cheering and supporting our team, win, lose or draw,” he added.
“Elated,” was Head Coach Leaford Grant’s response when asked to describe his emotions after guiding the team to the title.
“Personally, I am elated. We are happy and couldn’t ask for anything else. It has been a challenging year for us but we managed to persevere and now we are champions again,” Grant said.
“We never set out to plan how many points we’re going to score. What we try to do every year is put together a team that we know can score over 300 points. At champs, you have mishaps and different mistakes but that’s something you have to plan around. This year, we made very few mistakes.” he added.
With all that said, the school also had their challenges in the months leading up to champs, as explained by Grant and Myrie.
“Some of the challenges were, like any other school, financial. We had some challenges with youngsters not coming to training as we expected but I think that goes on at every single school, not only KC. At the end of the day, we withstood those challenges,” said Grant.
“Some of our athletes have had challenges, whether it be injuries or stuff like that,” Myrie said.
“We had to be gingerly treating them as we go through. They couldn’t train as hard as they wanted but we had to nurse them through. We got vilified because we opted out of a few races at the Gibson Relays and we just shook our heads. You opt out to ensure that you can actually do what you need to do at Champs because, at the end of the day, Champs is where the points count,” Myrie added.
Distance runner Ainsley Campbell was one of the main contributors to KC’s 34th Boys champs crown, winning the Class 1 1500m as well as the 2000m steeplechase open.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that we got the job done and we didn’t waste an entire year of training,” Campbell said.
“I wasn’t expecting to participate in the 1500m until Carifta Trials but I can say it was a well-earned title. For the steeplechase, I was the favourite so I went out there and did what I had to do,” he added.
Myrie says plans are already in place for KC to continue their dominance in high school track & field for years to come.
“There is definitely a plan in place but, the same way we are planning, other schools are planning as well. I am not going to go out there and say to anybody that we have to win or are going to win, I’m saying we are going to put a team in place that can challenge,” he said.
“If by chance there is a better team out there that beats us then more power to them and I’d congratulate them and say well done but we’re focusing on KC. We don’t focus on too many things outside. We have already started the planning for the next three years down the road to make sure that, at the least, we’re putting out a competent team every year,” Myrie added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Records tumble at INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Eastern Championship opening day
The Stadium East facility witnessed a spectacular display of talent on the opening day of the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Eastern Championship, with five records falling before the close of competition.
Mickoloy Saunders from Lyssons Primary set the tone by shattering the boys' 800m record, clocking an impressive 2:35.94. This performance surpassed the previous mark of 2:39.83 set by his schoolmate Yohance Carty last year. Camron Fraser of Lawrence Tavern also made waves, finishing second in the heat with a time of 2:28.37, which was under the previous record.
Romeann Gray of Seaside Primary in Portland continued the record-breaking spree in the girls' 800m, storming to victory in 2:31.51, well below the old record of 2:36.57. Deanakay Pinnock of St Patrick’s was another standout, clocking 2:42.90 in winning her heat.
Lyssons Primary showcased their dominance by breaking records in both the girls' and boys' 4x200m relays. The girls' team blazed to victory in 1:50.74, erasing Harbour View's 2023 record of 1:54.87. Meanwhile, the boys' team set a scorching time of 1:45.80, demolishing the old mark of 1:51.80 set by St Jude’s last year.
Adding to the record-breaking spree, Shemika Dobbs of Windward Road clinched the girls' Class 4 60m in a swift 9.17 seconds, eclipsing the previous record set by Sunjai KirkPatrick of Alpha.
The championship continues on Thursday with ten finals scheduled. Defending champions St Thomas’ Lyssons Primary are poised for success, having qualified numerous athletes for the finals and showcasing exceptional form early in the competition.
Still alive: Bolt pleased with Ja's male sprinting resurgence; hopeful Seville will medal in "wide open" men's 100m in Paris
Take it from the incomparable Usain Bolt that the race for the men’s 100m title at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games will be wide open, as he is yet to identify any clear favourite to stake a claim on the coveted gold medal.
Bolt, whose words carries the weight of his unparalleled legacy, gave his views on the possible Olympic outcome, as he also shared thoughts on the progress of male sprinting in Jamaica, which he believes remains alive with the emergence of Rohan Watson, Oblique Seville, Ackeem Blake, Ryiem Forde, and Kadrian Goldson, in particular.
Seville has been the main protagonist on that list, as he has consistently knocked at the door of a global 100m medal over the years. He placed fourth at both the 2020 Olympic Games and last year’s World Championships.
The 23-year-old’s rise from promising newcomer to bona fide contender has captured the imagination of Jamaican track and field enthusiasts at home and abroad. With blistering speed and unwavering determination, Seville has carved out a name for himself as one of Jamaica's most promising talents, and along with the others, carries the hopes of a nation known for its sprinting prowess.
“I think these athletes represent our chances, but it is all about execution. I think over the past years, it (Jamaica’s male sprinting) has been struggling, but I do think that Oblique has been keeping it alive,” Bolt, the ambassador for Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign, told journalists during the event’s launch in Half Way Tree on Wednesday.
“He has made all the finals so far; it is just for him to now get in the top three. And I think it's just consistency. I think the one thing with Oblique is that he always gets injured, but hopefully he can be consistent this season and stay on the right path and he'll be fine. So, I'm just looking forward to seeing them,” the iconic sprinter added.
Though American Noah Lyles, who copped the sprint double at last year's World Championships, has been a dominant force, his compatriots Fred Kerly, silver medallist at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, and Christian Coleman are also prominent contenders, while the young generation of Jamaican sprinters –Watson, Seville, Blake, and Goldson –have also entered the conversation.
Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, are also expected to be in the mix in Paris, while Italy’s Marcell Jacobs and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the gold and bronze medallists from the 2020 Games in Tokyo, are yet to enter the fray ahead of the global multi-sport showpiece.
While it is still early days yet, Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, expressed optimism about Seville’s Olympic Games medal prospects, as he believes the young sensation has proven that he can match strides with those names on the list.
“Let's see what happens. I think it's early. No one is doing anything, and I haven't seen anything impressive so far. So, I think it is still wide open. I am really hoping Oblique can break into the top three this time around. I think he has always worked hard over the years, and he is always in the final and always doing well. So hopefully, he will break into the top three,” Bolt said.
On that note, Bolt, who is looking forward to a second Olympic Games as a spectator since his retirement in 2017, believes the athletes stand ready to write the next chapter in the country’s storied history of success.
“Overall, we all have high hopes. The throwers, jumpers, everybody. Everyone is doing well, and you can see where they are stepping up. The medal tally will be good as always. Jamaica always shows up. We always get at least five medals, and I think we are aiming to get eight to 10 medals in Paris,” he shared.
“I think the athletes will (maintain their performance). Jamaica is always up there. We are still the sprint capital of the world, and I think we will continue to dominate,” Bolt ended.
Red Stripe launches “Guh Fi Gold & Glory” campaign with Usain Bolt
As the excitement surrounding the Paris Olympics surges within the hearts and minds of Jamaicans across the globe, beer giant Red Stripe launched its “Guh Fi Gold and Glory” Olympics campaign, with track & field legend Usain Bolt to serve as its brand ambassador.
Through this campaign, Red Stripe will send 10 lucky Jamaicans to Paris, France to cheer on the country’s athletes. From community engagements, countless giveaways, to a partnership with the incomparable Bolt, Red Stripe is set to amplify national pride before, during and after local athletes dominate on the main stage at this summer’s global multi-event showpiece.
Details of the campaign were revealed during the launch announcement at the Half Way Tree Transport Centre on Wednesday.
Red Stripe’s Head of Commerce, Sean Wallace said the campaign represents a significant, long-term investment.
“The Olympic games allow our Jamaican athletes to showcase their envied talents, as well as, as it allows our people to come together within communities, homes, town squares to chat and cheer. It's really an occasion where national pride unfailingly soars and so, our brand undoubtedly wanted to be a part of that excitement in a much larger way this time around.
“So of course, we decided to do it big. We’re proud to not only offer extensive giveaway opportunities, meaningful and authentic community events, but announce our recent partnership with the legend himself, Usain Bolt,” Wallace said.
Forming part of a larger $80 Million investment with the Jamaica Olympics Association (JOA), the “Guh Fi Gold & Glory” campaign further symbolises Red Stripe’s commitment to celebrating sportsmanship, unity and the spirit of competition that is part of the country’s DNA.
For Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallists and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, his iconic brand with the world’s iconic beer, represents the perfect fit.
“Red Stripe is synonymous with Jamaica, and I always want to represent the best of Jamaica. Becoming an ambassador for Red Stripe is a celebration of greatness and I’m very excited about the partnership. I’m even more excited for Jamaicans to enjoy all the fun and excitement that Red Stripe has coming their way. So, it is something that I am excited about. We have a lot of work to do, and I am looking forward to it,” Bolt shared.
From May 1 to June 28, Red Stripe will be rolling out a series of promotional events in support of the upcoming Olympic Games, with 10 consumers set to secure unique opportunity to enjoy the Games live.
Additionally, the beer brand will host viewing experiences whenever local athletes are set to compete. Red Stripe also announced that each week, five individuals will receive cash prizes of J$50,000, while 10 winners will be selected to receive 65-inch smart TVs, and one lucky recipient will enjoy an Olympic-style living room upgrade.
“As we support our athletes with training, development, and equipment, we are equally committed to giving back to our communities. We recently showcased the immense talent of our nation's artists by commissioning a special limited-edition label that will soon be available in the market,” Wallace said.
“Over the next few weeks, we aim to forge meaningful connections that reflect our values and capture the excitement of the Olympics. Our commitment has always been, and will continue to be, focused on celebrating what is uniquely Jamaican and honouring the talent and accomplishments of our people,” he ended.
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