Shanoya Douglas at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (© Athelstan Bellamy)
World U20 200m bronze medallist Shanoya Douglas produced two of the standout performances at the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Championships, which concluded in Kingston on Saturday (28) after five days of action with more than 2000 athletes taking part.
Once again, the sprint events delivered thrilling moments across a range of distances and age groups. Several of those performances will carry added significance later this year at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26, where many of the athletes on show here are expected to feature.
Douglas, representing Holland High, put on a stunning display in the girls' 17-18 100m final, further solidifying her status as one of the top teenage sprinters in the world with a world-leading 10.98.
She went on to complete the sprint double, taking the 200m in a world U20 lead and national U20 record of 22.36 (-1.6m/s).
Both of her performances move her to 10th on the world U20 all-time lists in the respective disciplines. Her 200m clocking took 0.14 off the previous Jamaican U20 record, set by Briana Williams in 2018.
The boys’ 16-19 100m final produced another highlight of the championships as Riquelme Reid, 18, justified his favourite status with an impressive victory in 10.12. Tyreece Foreman secured the silver medal, as he did last year, coming home in a PB of 10.21, just ahead of the fast-finishing Romario Finnigan, who came through in 10.22 from lane eight.
“I am a nonchalant character, but I don’t fear anyone,” Reid said afterwards. “I knew I wanted to win and came out here and executed properly.”
Fifteen-year-old Jason Pitter, the world U18 leader, delivered a flawless performance in the class 2 boys' 400m final, shattering the championship record with 45.76.
Another championship record fell in the U19 boys’ discus, where Joseph Salmon won with 67.55m, breaking Traves Smikle’s Jamaican U20 record and moving him to eighth on the world U20 all-time list.
Tiana Marshall set a championship record of 12.98 in the semifinals of the U18 100m hurdles, then secured gold in the final the next day in 13.33 (-2.0m/s).
Marquies Page rebounded from his false start in the 100m final a few nights earlier to set a championship record of 12.98 in the class 2 boys’ 110m hurdles semi-finals. Page won the final in 13.06 (-1.3m/s).
Rising star Natrece East sliced more than 0.3 off her previous best to dominate the U16 girls’ 100m final in 11.21.
A false start heightened the tension in the class 2 boys’ 100m final. When the race resumed, Jamaica College’s 15-year-old prodigy Kai Kelly overcame a slow start to score an impressive win in 10.28.
Just before a two-hour rain delay, Sanjay Seymore showed remarkable composure after executing a brilliant curve to retain his U19 200m title in 21.14 (-4.2m/s).
Nastassia Fletcher of Hydel High triumphed over Kelly-Ann Carr from Edwin Allen in an epic battle to the finish line to clinch the senior 400m hurdles title in a world-U20-leading 56.70. Moments later, Jaeden Campbell from Excelsior High coasted to victory in 50.87 in the class 2 boys’ 400m hurdles.
Meanwhile, in the U19 boys’ triple jump, Michael-Andre Edwards saved his best jump for last, achieving a lifetime best of 16.25m in the sixth round to retain his title.
It was fifth time the charm for Sushana Johnson, who won the girls’ 2000m steeplechase in 7:00.04. Johnson’s teammate Dominican-born Addison James broke the championship record in the men’s javelin, throwing 70.30m.
Elsewhere, Kevongaye Fowler won the U16 girls’ 1500m in 4:41.37 and dedicated it to her former training partner, Taniesha Gayle, who tragically lost her life during a training session last September.
Jamaica College brought the curtains down with victory in the boys’ 4x400m in 3:08.18, cementing their overall team victory.
In the team standings, Jamaica College and Edwin Allen secured the boys and girls victories respectively. It was Jamaica College’s 23rd boys’ title while Edwin Allen secured their 11th girls’ title.
Noel Francis for World Athletics
