The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) President Drumeco Archer issued a strong warning to defending champions Jamaica and others to brace themselves for a stout challenge from the Bahamians at this weekend’s 51st edition of the Carifta Games in Grenada.

Perennial second-place finishers to Jamaica, the Bahamians collected 46 medals – 10 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze –on home soil last year, which was 32 less than Jamaica’s 78 medal haul, that included 40 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze.

Despite that, Archer is confident that the 77-strong Bahamian team will deliver strong performances in the “Spice Isle” at Kirani James Stadium.

“Jamaica has hell on their hands as well as Trinidad and Barbados and everybody else,” Archer told Nassau Guardian recently.

“I’m pumped about it because we have some wonderful talent, new and old,” he added.

Head Coach Caudell McNab also expressed confidence about the prospects for his Bahamian team, as expectations are high that they will perform at a high level at the Easter Weekend spectacle.

“I expect them to do well. We will be strong, and we will show all the other countries that we have worked hard, and we are there to win. I expect that most of the countries, because the meet is in the Eastern Caribbean, will field bigger teams than when we hosted it last year because of proximity. It will not make a difference and I expect us to do well in the competition,” McNab declared.

“Experience and the fact that some of the athletes are new to this level gives a good mix. The camaraderie is very good, even if they did not know each other in the past, it makes it very interesting. One of the things that impressed me most is that we have so many pre-qualifiers and at the trials, most of them met the standards again and it shows that they are at the peak and should do extremely well,” he added.

The 2024 Carifta Games will be live on SportsMax from the starting Saturday.

The grounds of Edwin Allen High School in Frankfield, Clarendon, erupted with jubilation on Monday as the school basked in the glory of its 10th girls' title at the 2024 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships. The atmosphere was electric as students, teachers, and staff gathered to celebrate a decade of dominance in Jamaican high school track and field.

This year's victory held special significance for Edwin Allen, as they faced stiff competition from defending champions Hydel High School. The battle for supremacy came down to the wire, with Hydel pushing Edwin Allen to the final event of the meet, the 4x400m relay. Despite Hydel's valiant effort to claim victory in the relay, Edwin Allen's second-place finish secured their 10th consecutive title, finishing with a total of 335.5 points, just ahead of Hydel's 326 points.

Addressing the crowd gathered in the school's quadrangle, winning coach Michael Dyke expressed his pride and congratulations to his team for their remarkable achievement. He singled out individual medalists and relay teams for their outstanding performances throughout the championship, acknowledging their dedication and determination in bringing the trophy back home to Edwin Allen.

Among those commended by Coach Dyke were athletes Kemoya Campbell, Denique Palmer, Kevongaye Fowler, Shandre Brown, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Dionjah Shaw, Sushana Johnson, Kellyann Carr, Horecia Love, Tonyann Beckford, Natasha Fox, Rickeisha Simms, Rasheeda Samuels, Alliah Gittens, Daijanae Bruce, Jounee Armstrong, and Monique Stewart, whose contributions played a pivotal role in securing victory.

Each name drew celebratory cheers and the sound of vuvuzelas.

Coach Dyke also extended his gratitude to the coaching and support staff, whom he hailed as some of the best in Jamaica. He credited their dedication and commitment to the team's success, emphasizing the crucial role they played behind the scenes.

Furthermore, Coach Dyke expressed his determination to continue the legacy of excellence at Edwin Allen, affirming that the championship trophy would remain at the school for many years to come.

It was a celebratory atmosphere at 2A North Street on Monday morning as Kingston College celebrated their 35^th hold on the highly coveted Mortimer Geddes trophy.

KC produced another dominant display throughout the five days of the globe’s biggest high school track & field showcase on their way to 335 points, 57 more than their nearest rivals, Jamaica College. Calabar High (194 points), Excelsior High (122 points) and St. Jago High (111.5 points) rounded out the top five schools.

This year’s crown also secured KC’s first three-peat since they won the title for six years in a row from 2001-2006.

Head Coach Leaford Grant summed up what this year’s triumph means to the school.

“This one is right up there. It was a hard-fought title. In previous interviews I said the 2019 one was always the best one because that year we brought the trophy back to KC after many years absent. This was a hard-fought one and it’s always good to win a trophy,” he told SportsMax.tv.

One thing that made it hard-fought, according to Grant, was the presence of injury concerns for some of their athletes that hampered their preparation for the championships.

“We had some injury concerns throughout the course of the season but we prevailed and managed to overcome them,” he said.

One notable absence from the championships was the 2023 Class Two 200m and 400m champion, Tahj-Marques White.

White, a first year Class One athlete, pulled up with an injury while competing earlier in the season and, while Grant said he’s fully recovered, the decision was made to hold him out of the championships as a precaution.

“He’s practically recovered but we thought that, because it’s his first year in class one, we’d give him some time to properly recover to serve us next year,” he said.

“He’s a talented youngster so we didn’t want to stress him too much. He’ll be fine next year,” he added.

Next year will mark KC’s 100^th anniversary and Green says a fourth consecutive title would be fitting for such an occasion.

“There’s no special plan. We just have to plan as usual and work hard as usual. At the end of the day, God’s willing, we will bring back the trophy to Kingston College,” he said.

Perhaps KC’s most productive discipline over the five days was the hurdles where they racked up 56 points in total across five finals.

KC’s hurdles coach Kirk King, who is also the head coach of Convent of Mercy Academy, was ecstatic about the performance of his troops.

“My hurdlers stuck to the task and they stepped up their game for the championships. Nobody was expecting a quinella in the Class Two sprint hurdles, nobody was expecting Daniel Clarke to come second in Class One,” he said.

King mentioned that a number of his hurdlers were disappointed after their performances at the Carifta Trials but they recovered well mentally ahead of the championships.

“We had a talk especially after a lot of them were devastated after Carifta Trials because they didn’t make the team and they were demotivated and some of them even said they’re not coming back,” he said.

“I had to motivate them to come back and they came out and delivered. We only had one mishap in our entire hurdles crew,” he added.

KC’s Co-Captains for the championships, Antwon Walkin and Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, also reacted to the team’s 35^th title.

“To win anything 35 times is a lot and so we always talk about the greatness of Kingston College, I think this number specifically signifies just how great our institution is,” said Walkin who, despite nursing a groin injury, finished fifth in the Class One discus.

“It feels great. Finishing off the trifecta feels great. There’s no better feeling in the world than to have done all this hard work for a year and come out with a championship,” Walkin added.

Lawrence-Clarke competed in both the 100m and the 4x100m relay. He produced a spirited effort to claim bronze in the 100m final.

“A lot of people didn’t expect me to even make the final so to go out there and get a bronze medal means a lot to me,” he said.

“I really went out there for the team and the supporters because in the 100m, they always expect somebody from KC to be in the mix. It was a great experience for me,” he added.

The track and field community, and indeed the entire nation, was left reeling by the sudden passing of beloved journalist and broadcaster Hubert Lawrence on February 23, 2024. Lawrence, known for his encyclopedic knowledge and unparalleled passion for sports, particularly track and field, had been a fixture in the hearts of many for years. His unexpected departure just before the Gibson/McCook Relays sent shockwaves through Jamaica and beyond.

In recognition of his immense contribution to the sporting world, GraceKennedy Ltd, the title sponsors for the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships, vowed to pay tribute to Lawrence during the event. True to their word, an emotional tribute unfolded during the Championships, featuring a heartfelt video presentation from colleagues and athletes alike, including GraceKennedy Ambassadors Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Hansle Parchment, and Briana Williams. The moving tribute was complemented by a musical performance from Alaine, accompanied by the St. Jago High School chorale.

However, the tribute did not end there. Frank James, CEO of Grace Foods Domestic, stepped forward to present a symbolic gesture of support to St. Jago High School, Lawrence's alma mater. A cheque for JMD$1 million was handed over to a tearful Mrs. Collette Pryce, Principal of St. Jago High School, to fund a legacy project in honour of Lawrence.

Speaking to Sportsmax.TV following the presentation, Mrs. Pryce expressed her gratitude for the generous donation and reflected on the profound impact of Lawrence's legacy. She described Lawrence as a "walking encyclopedia" whose wealth of knowledge and dedication left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

Mrs. Pryce also emphasized the importance of preserving Lawrence's memory for future generations. She mentioned the void left by Lawrence's passing and the community's determination to honor his memory in a meaningful way.

“It is a huge loss. Personally, I was with him the Wednesday (February 21), before he died. We had plans. One of the things I wanted to see was a book for our school for first formers to know the stories of St. Jago and Hubert had all the stories about all the headmasters, about all the characters and I think we have lost a lot because most of it was not recorded and there is this void that we’re feeling right now and we are hoping that someone can step up but the community is shaken.

“He never left St Jago, so we knew him and we are speechless and tonight (Saturday) was difficult. I have been getting the messages from the Diaspora, from persons in Jamaica and they really want to thank Grace for recognizing our school in honour of Hubert, we know that he would have wanted that and we will need time to think this through but it’s a huge loss.”

Mrs. Pryce revealed plans to form a committee comprising Lawrence's friends and family to ensure that any tribute truly reflects his greatness.

“St Jago is 280 years old this year and we are doing a number of activities and Hubert’s legacy is huge. For me, it’s larger than life, heroic and so for the next 280 years Hubert’s name, his work must be in the annals of St Jago High School.

“So, a committee will have to work on this, his friends, we would love for them to be involved in this along with his family, so that whatever we so will really recognize his greatness.”

Karen Mussington, Sponsorship and Events Manager at GraceKennedy, shed light on the company's decision to honour Lawrence and the emotional significance of the tribute. She recalled Lawrence's integral role in sporting events over the years, stating, "What is Champs without Hubert? Personally, I can't remember having Champs, other than this one, without hearing his voice."

She recounted the emotional response from Mrs. Pryce upon learning of GraceKennedy's intention to donate to St. Jago High School in Lawrence's honour, underscoring the deep impact of Lawrence's legacy.

“When I called Mrs. Pryce to tell her what our intention was, she cried,” Mussington stated while recalling how the tribute came together.

“We thought we would get persons close to him to talk about him, Bruce (James), Dwayne Extol, that looked up to him, our brand ambassadors. Shelly talked about him giving her the name ‘Pocket Rocket’, so we thought we’d just put together that tribute for him. It was well received by the stadium and then, not only the tribute, but to make this meaningful donation to his beloved alma mater, St Jago and we will be working with Mrs Pryce to get a project done in his honour.”

While details of the legacy project are yet to be finalized, Mussington hinted at its focus on sports in line with Lawrence's passion and St. Jago High School's active involvement in athletics. She assured that GraceKennedy would continue to collaborate with Mrs. Pryce to ensure that Lawrence's memory is honored in a meaningful and lasting way.

“We definitely want it in line with sports because that was him and St Jago is very active in sports, especially athletics. So we want to something down that line but we have to speak with Mrs Pryce. There will definitely be a part two to this, it is a meaningful story but whatever it is it is going to be in his honour.”

.

Trinidad and Tobago's versatile athlete, Tyra Gittens, made an impressive debut in her long jump season opener at the Charles Austin Classic held at the Texas State Track and Field Complex in San Marcos, Texas, last Friday.

The reigning women's long jump champion of Trinidad and Tobago has been diligently training, aiming to shine on the Olympic stage at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Her performance on Friday served as a promising preview of what she could deliver this summer.

Gittens, renowned as an NCAA Indoor high jump and pentathlon champion, showcased her skills in the long jump with leaps measuring 6.44m and 6.68m, achieved from a 10-step run-up. These remarkable performances secured her victory in the event and undoubtedly boosted her confidence as she pursues her Olympic dreams.

With her sights set on the Olympics, Gittens aims to match or even surpass her lifetime best of 6.96m in the long jump. As she continues her preparations, she remains dedicated to representing her twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago with pride and determination on the global stage.

Garth Robinson capped off a record-breaking weekend with a world indoor record at the 2024 USATF Masters Indoor Championships on Sunday.

Robinson, 53, a former student of the GC Foster College in Jamaica, who now lives in the United States, showcased his athletic prowess at the championships where he copped the 50-54 indoor sprint double in record time.

The talented Masters sprinter hinted at what was to come during the preliminary round of Saturday when he won his heat in an impressive 23.16. On Sunday, morning he went full throttle to rush across the finish line in a remarkable world record of 22.68 breaking the previous record of 22.99. The winning time was also an Area record.

Such was Robinson’s dominance that second place winner Eric Prince was more than two seconds behind, finishing in 24.75 just edging Kareem Hodrick, who ran 24.77 for third place.

Robinson entered the 200m already confident in good form after he destroyed the field on Friday to win the first of his two gold medals of the weekend.

In the 60m dash, he broke the Area record in a dominant performance of 7.10 to comfortably advance to the final where he was just a shade lower. He claimed the gold medal in a winning time of 7.12.

Lee Adkins was some distance behind as he finished second in 7.46. Ronald Atkins clocked 7.54 for third place.

Aided by a superior squad with depth across events and classes, Kingston College expectedly retained their boys’ title, while Edwin Allen turned back the challenge from Hydel High to reclaim the girls’ crown, as the curtains came down on the 113^th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Kingston College were always favoured to cop the Mortimer Geddes trophy for a third-straight year and they did so with consummate ease to make it their 35th overall lien on the coveted prize.

The North Street-based purples, who led from day one of the five-day spectacle, fittingly closed the show with victory in the 4x400m relay open to end with a tally of 335 points. They finished 57 points ahead of closest rivals Jamaica College (278 points), with Calabar (194 points), Excelsior (122 points) and St Jago (111.50 points), completing the top five.

Meanwhile, it was sweet redemption for Edwin Allen, who had their eight-year unbeaten run snapped by Hydel in last year’s nail-biting battle in which they were separated by two points.

Like Kingston College, Edwin Allen were also expected to take the girls’ title back to their Frankfield, Clarendon base for a 10th time overall, but dethroned champions Hydel kept things interesting throughout, and lacked the venom to upstage their rivals on this occasion.

The Michael Dyke-coached Edwin Allen amassed 335.50 points to finish nine and a half points ahead of Hydel High, who ended on 326 points after they closed the show with victory in the 4x400m. St Jago (171 points), Holmwood Technical (149 points) and Wolmer’s Girls (128.50 points) round out the top five.

Hydel High continued their fight to retain their title, as they copped two of the four girls’ relays titles on offer to close the gap on rivals Edwin Allen on Saturday’s fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Hydel won the girls’ Class one title 44.71 ahead of Edwin Allen (45.18s) and Wolmer’s Girls (45.83s)

Jamaica College took the boys’ Class one honours in 40.01s. Calabar (40.10s) were left back in second, with St Jago (40.39s) in third.

The Class two girls’ title went to Edwin Allen in 45.44s, as Theianna-Lee Terrelonge ran a blistering third leg to propel her team past Hydel (45.46s), with Wolmer’s Girls (46.79s) closing fast for third.

There was no stopping Excelsior in the boys’ Class two relays, as they got first run on rivals and later pulled away to win in 40.35s, leaving Kingston College (40.96s) and Calabar (41.75s) to settle for the minor placing.

St Jago upstaged their more fancied rivals to win the girls’ Class three event in 45.74s, as Immaculate Conception closed fast for second in 46.29s, with Hydel (46.41s) in third.

The Class three boys title went to Red Hills Road, as Calabar (43.45s) got the baton around best to win. Wolmer’s Boys were second in 43.69s, with St Elizabeth Technical third in 43.85s. Kingston College initially placed second, but they were later disqualified for obstruction.

Hydel also won the girls’ Class four even in impressive fashion, as they stopped the clock in 47.78s. Covent of Mercy Alpha was second in 48.35s and Edwin Allen (48.46s), third.

By virtue of the relay performances, Hydel moved up to 289 points, 17.5 points behind Edwin Allen, (306.5 points) with the sprint medley relay open, the 3,000m open and the 4X400m relay open to come.

On the boys’ side, Kingston College are on 304 points, 52 points ahead of Jamaica College (252 points), with the sprint medley open and the 4X400m relay open to come.

It was double delight for a number of athletes across classes, as they added the 200m gold medal to their respective titles on Saturday’s fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Among them were Hydel’s Alliah Baker and Teixiera Johnson, Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East and Wolmer’s Boys’ Mario Ross, who all completed the sprint double, while Muschette High’s Shanoya Douglas, added the half-lap gold to her 400m crown.

Baker, who won the Class one 100m title, was again comfortable in topping the 200m in 23.89s in a -0.4 headwind. Brittney McCormack (24.44s) of Bridgeport was second with Titchfield’s Chevauna Grant (24.46s) in third.

The boys’ Class one event was won by Kingston College’s Amal Glasgow, who timed his race to perfection to collar favourite Gary Card of Wolmer’s Boys at the line. Glasgow won in 21.21s, with Card (21.23s), just staying on for second ahead of another Kingston College athlete Marcinho Rose (21.24s) in a blanket finish.

In the girls’ Class two final, Douglas, the 400m champion utilised her endurance to topple Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge. Running in a strong -3.5 metres per second headwind, Douglas stopped the clock in 23.93s, with Terrelonge (24.31s) and Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (24.38s) taking the minor placing.

Douglas’s teammate Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (21.35s) was a cut above rivals in the boys’ Class two event. Jabari Matheson (21.64s) of William Knibb and Jamaica College’s Malique Dennis (21.87s) were second and third respectively.

Meanwhile, the Wolmer’s duo of East and Ross copped the respective Class three 200m titles to complete the sprint double. East won in a commanding manner in 24.29 seconds, ahead of Immaculate Conception High’s Kimberly Wright (24.70s) and Hydel High’s Sashana Johnson (24.80s).

Ross followed suit shortly after, topping his event in a personal best of 22.21 seconds. Calabar’s Ched Brown (22.54s) took silver ahead of Jamaica College’s Oneil Lawrence (22.73s).

In the girls’ Class four 200m, Hydel High’s Johnson justified favouritism, as she won in 25.44 seconds ahead of teammate Tyecia McDonald (25.91s), while Wolmer’s Girls' Mick-Kayla Gardner (26.11s) took the bronze.

Jamaica College’s Kemario Bygrave and Samuel Creary swept the boys' Class one and two 800m titles on the fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Bygrave successfully defended his Class one crown, as he won comfortably in 1:51.75. Kingston College’s Jaquan Coke (1:52.59) and Maggotty High’s Yoshane Bowen (1:53.02), were second and third, respectively.

In Class 2, Creary added the 800m gold to his 1,500m win. He clocked 1:54.10 ahead of Kingston College’s Nahashon Ruto (1:55.65) and St Mary High’s Rasheed Grant (1:57.38).

Meanwhile, Cavel Nooks of JC equalled his personal best of 1:58.25 to claim the Class three crown. His teammate Cameron Williams (2:02.53) was second, while Sydney Pagon’s Luke Plummer (2:02.86), copped bronze.

On the girls' side, Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms powered through to claim gold in 2:08.56. Hydel’s Abigail Campbell (2:09.07) was second and the other Edwin Allen representative Monique Stewart (2:10.19) finished third.

Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose (2:15.37) upgraded her bronze from last year to win gold in the Class two final. Silver went to St Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:16.66), while Edwin Allen’s Horecia Love (2:17.10) took bronze.

In the Class 3 girls’ event, it was Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds, who won the 1500m on Wednesday that topped the field in 2:17.79. Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler, the overwhelming favourite, had to settle for silver in 2:13.19, with St Mary High’s Dallia Fairweather (2:13.20) in third.

In what could be described as another memorable chapter in the rich history of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at Kingston's National Stadium, former high school track stars Daniel England and Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby were honoured with the first-ever GKMS Western Union Icon Award, presented by title sponsors GraceKennedy Money Services.

Throughout his high school career, England, who was popularly known as “The Little Warrior”, ran undefeated over the 400m and lost only once in the 200m during his four years representing Calabar High School leading them to titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990. His only loss came at the hands of St Jago’s Donovan Powell, the elder brother of former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell.

England’s legacy at Calabar remains unparalleled and he expressed his heartfelt gratitude upon receiving the prestigious award. "It is an honour to be recognized," he remarked, his voice tinged with emotion. "It was a pleasure. I thank God. I thank Herb McKenley, I thank the Calabar Old Boys for supporting me over the years and I just appreciate it. I am feeling overwhelmed. It was an exciting moment and I am just glad to be here and to be able to know what I did in the past has some value for the future."

Boasting a similar legacy that featured 19 gold medals throughout her illustrious high school career during which she set many records, one of which still stands today, McLaughlin-Whilby’s incredibly versatile talents in the 200m and 400m led Holmwood Technical to girls’ titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and laid the foundation for the school’s nine consecutive championships.

Her Class 3 400m record of 52.52 set in 2001 still stands today after more than two decades.

In her final year, McLaughlin-Whilby defeated one Shelly-Ann Fraser to win the Class 1 100m dash to end her high-school career on a winning note.

Equally moved by the recognition, she shared her surprise and joy at being bestowed with the iconic award. "It was a big surprise. I really thought I was here to do medal presentations but I am very appreciative and very happy that my achievements have been recognized," she expressed, her gratitude evident in every word. "I am very proud of all that I did in high school. I still have a record at champs but this is an addition and I am very appreciative.”

As McLaughlin-Whilby spoke, her twin daughters, already showing signs of following in their mother's legendary footsteps, added a touch of poignancy to the moment. "They actually are (following in her footsteps). They had sports day today and they finished first and second," she proudly declared, embodying the spirit of athletic excellence that runs in the family.

Gabriel Heron, Head of Business Transformation at GraceKennedy Money Services, underscored the significance of honouring Jamaica's sporting icons. "I must give kudos to the team because it goes back to our GraceKennedy mantra 'We Care'," he affirmed while speaking exclusively to Sportsmax.TV. "And in really thinking through the concept, we came up with how can we show and give respect to individuals who really laid the foundation for Boys and Girls Championships."

Heron emphasized the importance of recognizing the legacy and contributions of athletes like England and McLaughlin-Whilby in shaping Jamaica's sporting heritage. "This whole idea of nation-building surrounding the championships, this element of it is a part of it," he stated. "It’s showing the history that we must always be grateful and show support for the individuals that laid the foundation.

“For the persons who were in the audience, you could see that there was a strong connection and the memory that it would have recalled seeing Daniel England flashing around the bend, seeing Anneisha with her hair bouncing around the bend, those kind of memories come back to us and also reinforces the history of Champs and where we’re coming from as well.

“And as a company we really revel in that and we should be proud of those moments and we should always and consistently recognize our sports icons in all facets of life and this was a critical moment.”

Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford and the Excelsior High pair of Demarco Bennett and Daniel Wright all produced breathtaking performances to win their respective 400m hurdles titles to bring the curtains down on Friday’s third day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Wright, who was sixth in the boys’ Class one event last year, bided his time throughout the event on this occasion, before producing a late burst in the stretch to win in a dazzling personal best 50.71s. He edged the Kingston College pair of Antonio Forbes (50.74s) and Shamari Jennings (50.83s).

Prior to that, Bennett proved too good for rivals in the boys’ Class two event, as he ran away an easy winner in 51.70s, ahead of Calabar’s Robert Miller (52.63s) and Taj-Oneil Gordon (52.35s) of Kingston College.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ Open event, Beckford, running from lane five, went out and a decent pace and basically covered the field on the backstretch before sprinting away from rivals off the curve to win in a brisk 56.70 seconds.

She led a one-two finish for the Frankfield-based Edwin Allen, as her teammate Natasha Fox (57.94s) was second, with Aaliyah Mullings (58.96s) of Hydel in third.

“The inspiration behind it is that I want my team to win and as you can see, I am the captain, so I have to come out here and lead by example,” Beckford said after the win.

Following those events, Edwin Allen surged to 184 points, 43 points ahead of reigning champions Hydel (141 points), while St Jago (81 points), Immaculate Conception (70.33 points) and Holmwood Technical (57 points), complete the top five.

On the boys’ side, Kingston College moved to 169 points, 36 points ahead of Jamaica College (133 points), with Calabar High (84 points), St Jago (74 points) and Excelsior (60 points) rounding out the top five heading into Saturday’s final day.

St Jago High’s Jade-Ann Dawkins recovered from a stuttering start to produce 13.28m and successfully defend her girls’ triple jump Open title on Friday’s third day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Dawkins, who fouled her first two jumps, cut the sand at 12.54m on her third attempt to book her spot in the top eight, from where she jumped like a girl possessed, cutting the sand at 12.74m, before soaring to her winning mark.

She won ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Jaeda Robinson, who recorded a best jump of 13.21m, while Celine Riddle of Holmwood Technical won bronze with 13.04m.

The 18-year-old Dawkins, who took the triple jump and long jump double last year, will be looking to repeat the feat when she contests the latter on Saturday’s final day of the five-day spectacle.

Newly minted Class one girls’ 100m champion Alliah Baker of Hydel and boys’ Class one 400m champion Marcinho Rose, both threw down the gauntlet for what is to come in the 200m finals, as they were superb in qualifying on Friday’s third day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Baker, who is relishing the opportunity to sprint, after being asked to take up the mantle by Head coach Corey Bennett, cruised to a time of 24.27 seconds and seems poised to complete the double.

She will have the likes of Bridgeport High’s Brittney McCormack (24.49s); Titchfield’s Chevauna Grant (24.49s); Mickayla Gardener (24.02s) of Wolmer’s Girls; St Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson (24.64s); St Elizabeth Technical’s Shanque Williams (24.71s); Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong (24.50s) and Trezeguet Taylor (24.71) to contend with in the final.

Kingston College’s Rose laid down comfortable 20.70 seconds to set the tone for the boys’ Class one event. The other finalists are Gary Card (21.17s) of Wolmer’s Boys; KC’s Amal Glasgow (21.26s); Lacovia’s Rosean Smith (21.52s); Vere Technical’s Omar James (21.57s); Raheem Pinnock (21.76s) of St Jago; Munro College’s Romario Hines (21.59s) and Rhaeim Allyson (21.62s) of Clarendon College.

In the girls’ Class two event, medal favourites, Shanoya Douglas (23.53s) of Muschett High; Sabrina Dockery (24.41s) of Lacovia High and 100m champion Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (23.95s) of Edwin Allen, safely progressed to the final.

They will be joined by Hydel High’s Jody-Ann Daley (24.45s) and Shemonique Hazel (24.67s); Shevi-Anne Shim (24.69s) of Immaculate Conception and St Mary High’s Tianna Rhoomes (24.74s).

Johan-Romaldo Smythe (21.31s) of Muschett High was the standard bearer for the boys’ Class two qualifiers, followed by Wiliam Knibb’s Jabari Matheson (21.77s); Kingston College’s Joshua Grant (22.06s); Antwone Bygrave (22.01s) of St George’s College and Jamaica College’s Malique Dennis (22.16s). Calabar’s Byron Walker (22.28s); Campion College’s Nasir McMorris (22.46s) and Ian Baker (22.05s) of St Catherine High (22.05), will look to challenge Smythe for the top spot.

Meanwhile, Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls’ will look to defend her Class three title, after she clocked 24.15s in qualifying. She will face the likes of Immaculate Conception’s Kimberly Wright (24.48s); St Jago’s Shannia Campbell (25.30s) and Trecia-Ann Grant (25.07s); Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne (24.86s); Port Antonio’s Kevina Bourne (25.04s); St Mary High’s Kaliesha Bell (24.72s) and Hydel’s Sashana Johnson (24.79s).

Jamaica College’s Oneil Lawrence clocked 22.54 seconds to register the fastest qualifying time of the boys’ Class three 200m. He will line up against Mario Ross (22.67s) and Deandre Myers (23.31s) of Wolmer’s Boys’; Calabar’s Ched Brown (22.85s); Denbigh High’s Rayvon Black (22.99s); Andre Boyd of St Jago (23.11s); Edwin Allen’s Taheem Thompson (23.24s) and Kingston College’s Jason Pitter (23.29s).

Finally, Hydel High’s Teixiera Johnson is another athlete seeking to complete the double, as she headlines qualifiers through to the girls’ Class four event.

Johnson ran a time of 25.23 seconds, and she will be joined by her teammate Tyecia McDonald (25.46s); Jadeanne Patterson (26.03s) of Alphansus Davis; Holmwood Technical’s Aliona Crawford (26.20s); Maggotty High’s Kerian Jarrett (26.06s); Mick-Kayla Gardener (26.09s) of Wolmer’s Girls; Edwin Allen’s Makaila McDonald (26.26s) and Convent of Mercy Alpha’s Imani Crawford (26.33s).

The final is scheduled for Saturday evening.