Excelsior’s Hoffman stuns field in 400m hurdles
EXCELSIOR High’s Kishawn Hoffman produced a massive upset to win the Boys’ Class One 400m hurdles event at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.
Hoffman executed a well-time race to win the event in 50.97 seconds, ahead of Trevoy Smith (51.12) of Herbert Morrison Technical, and Fransico Williams (51.14) of St George’s College.
Calabar’s Micah Willis produced a scintillating run to capture the gold medal in the Boys’ Class Two 400m hurdles in 52.69. He won the event ahead of St Jago’s Raneil Burke (53.57) and Kingston College’s (KC’s) Eshanee Porter who clocked 54.02.
There was high drama in the Boys’ Class One 110 hurdles semi-finals. Daniel Clarke of Kingston College and Shaquane Gordon of Calabar High, who were expected to battle for the gold medal, were both disqualified retroactively for false-starting in their respective heats.
St Jago High’s Brandon Harris (13.56) and Jamaica College’s Shakir Lewis, who timed 13.63, have emerged as the leading medal contenders in Saturday’s final.
The Boys’ Class Two 110m hurdles final is expected to be very competitive, with KC’s Jonathan Clarke (13.52), St Jago’s Marquies Page (13.57), and Calabar’s Kemarley Fletcher (13.62) expected to fight for the top three placings.
Calabar’s Junior Galimore leads all qualifiers into the Class One 200m final with a time of 20.72, ahead of Williams Knibb Memorial’s Sanjay Seymore (20.75). They are expected to receive stiff challenges for the gold medal in the final from St George’s College Tyreece Foreman (20.85), St Catherine High’s Ian Baker (20.98), Vere Technical’s Omar James (21.04), and Cornwall College’s Zachary Cox (21.06).
In Class Two, JC’s Malique Dennis sped to 21.45 to top all qualifiers for the final. Peterfield High’s Usain Bernard (21.49), Jaydon Collins (21.58) of Holmwood Technical, Nsir McMorris (21.63) of Campion College, Jason Pitter (21.74) of KC, and Shadane Lewis (21.84) of KC are expected to have their say.
St Jago’s outstanding sprinter Jevaney Findlay clocked an impressive 21.82 to lead all qualifiers for the Class Three 200m final. Rusea’s Tiene Barrett (22.13), St Jago’s Rajaun Romelly (22.27), and Andre Genus (22.63) of KC round off the top five qualifiers for the final.
Titchfield’s middle-distance athlete Shavan Jarrett recorded one minute 54.35 seconds to produce the fastest time going into Saturday’s final of the Boys’ Class One 800m event. Jarrett is expected to face strong competition from the likes of Edwin Allen High’s Joel Morgan (1:54.63), Raheem Palmer (1:54.72) of Alphansus Davis High, Ricardo Carr (1:54.77) of Excelsior, and JC’s Sameul Creary (1:57.05).
The Class Two 800m final is expected to be very competitive, with Calabar’s Alejandro Palmer holding the fastest time of 1:58.36. William Knibb’s Thywaine Sterling (1:58.96), KC’s Christopher Anderson (1:59.08), Rasheed Grant (1:59.52) of St Mary’s High, and Antuwan Newland (1:59.87) of Holmwood Technical should also feature prominently.
BOYS’ POINTS STANDING
(after 21 finals)
1 Kingston College 136.5
2 Calabar 115
3 Jamaica College 90
St Jago 59
Excelsior 54
Wolmer’s Boys’ 41
Munro College 30
St Elizabeth Technical 21
St George’s College 19
Edwin Allen 18
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