Calabar ends
KC's Purple Streak
 Smart
money had its chips on a close battle between
six-time defending champion Kingston College
(KC) and challenger Calabar at the 2007 Grace/ISSA
Boys Athletics Championships, held at the National
Stadium from March 28 to 31.
However, the "Purples" ran into trouble
early while Calabar produced a trouble-free
performance to go to the top spot for the first
time since 1998. The excitement didn't fade
with the loss of the expected team battle, as
super performances kept fans delighted.
In the end, Calabar tallied 273.5 points to
take home the symbol of schoolboy athletics
supremacy, the Mortimer Geddes Trophy. KC overcame
its difficulties and scored 200 points to place
second. JC with 161, Wolmers Boys on 137.5,
and St. Jago High with 120 completed the top
five.
Unexpectedly, KC lost seemingly certain points
in the Class One discus, the Class Two 800m,
and the Class One 400m, where Keithon Wilson,
Donahue Williams and Oshane Barham were respective
medal favourites. Barham was ailing with a back
injury and was rested from the 4x400m heats.
The KC title bid died completely when Andre
Peart pulled a leg muscle while substituting
for Barham. KC failed to qualify for the final
and Peart, who had reached the Class One 400m
final, could run no more.
However, Calabar didn't win because KC lost.
The Michael Clarke-coached green-and-blacks
might have won anyway. Relentless in tucking
away points, Calabar had one of the meet's most
impressive performers. Ramone McKenzie twice
broke both the Class Two 200m and 400m records,
leaving them at 20.89 and 47.24 seconds respectively.
Those times are remarkable for an athlete not
yet 17. Not content with only those achievements,
he helped Calabar to win the Class Two 4x100m
relay and hold on to a silver medal finish in
the 4x400m.
To
read more pick up your copy at the nearest bookstore
Holmwood
Runs Away With Win Number Five
 What
a difference a year makes. Last year, at the VMBS/ISSA
Girls Athletics Championships, Holmwood Technical
had to fight off a determined challenge from Vere
Technical. At the 2007 Grace/ISSA Girls Championships,
Holmwood won easily with 353.5 points.
Vere survived a three-way battle
for second with 232 points, ahead of Manchester
High School, 226.5 and Edwin Allen Comprehensive
217.5. St. Jago High School was the only other
school to exceed 100 points, with 168.5. St. Andrew
High, 91.5, Immaculate 77.5, Wolmers 71, St. Elizabeth
Technical High School (STETHS) and Alpha, both
with 42.5, completed the top 10.
Early on, ace javelin thrower
Taniesha Blair broke her national junior record
with a heave of 47.85m. From this point, there
was no stopping Holmwood. On the track and in
the field, the Christiana school piled on the
points.
Salcia Slack led Holmwood
in the field. She broke the Class Two long jump
record with a leap of 6.11m, and took gold medals
in the Class Two discus and the heptathlon. Holmwood
cleaned up in Class One. Bobbi-Gaye Wilkins marked
her first year in the upper age category with
a repeat of her 2006 Class Two 400 and 800-metre
double. Her celebrated sprinting team-mates Schillonie
Calvert and Anastasia Leroy swapped wins in the
100m and 200m events. Calvert held off the fast
finishing Leroy in the 100m in 11.38 seconds while
Leroy overtook her in the last 80 to take gold
in the 200m.
To
read more pick up your copy at the nearest bookstore
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