Edwin Allen, St Jago top Central Champs

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

DEFENDING champions Edwin Allen High and St Jago High held on to their girls' and boys' titles respectively, at yesterday's final day of competition of the Milo-sponsored Central Championships at G.C. Foster College.

At press time last night, Edwin Allen's girls had amassed 243.5 points, well ahead of Holmwood Technical 217, St Jago 193.5, and Vere Technical 143.

It was another runaway win for St Jago's boys. They scored 208.5 points with Manchester High way back in second on on 64, and Holmwood, third on 60. The points standings do not not include the relays.

Yesterday, Manchester High's Class One athlete Omar McLeod was again in record-breaking mood, as he clocked a fast 13.92 seconds in the Class One 110 metres hurdles to erase the 2007 mark of 14.73 seconds.

"I am very happy that I was able to come to the meet a few days after my performances at the Carifta Trials and to run fast, and I will be working much harder in the next few days leading to Champs," said McLeod.

Record breaking

There were other outstanding results in the sprint hurdles yesterday. The Holmwood Technical duo of Janieve Russell and Yanique Thompson led the way among the girls with record-breaking performances. The multi-talented Russell, who won the girls' 400 metres hurdles on Wednesday, completed a double when she won the 100m hurdles in 14.12 seconds and in the process broke the old mark of 14.73 set by Vere Technical's Kaymarie Jones in 2008. Edwin Allen's Keenan Davis (14.19) and St Jago's Lexanna Morgan (14.78) finished second and third, respectively.

Following her impressive win in the Under-17 100 metres hurdles at the recent Carifta Trials, Thompson stopped the clock at 13.62 seconds in the Class Two event to get the better of St Jago's Tishana Monteith in 13.72 and Claudette Allen of Edwin Allen, who was third in 14.46 seconds. The old mark was 14.08 seconds set by Vere's Jillisa Grant in 2008.

Hydel High Class Three hurdler Samara Spence also placed her name in the record books. She broke Russell's 80m hurdles record of 11.76 seconds set in 2009 with a new mark of 11.70. Brittani Thompson, also of Hydel, was second in 11.86.

Marleena Eubanks of Edwin Allen and Shericka Jackson of Vere also set records. Eubanks romped the girls' Class Two 800 metres, winning in a record 2:06.92. Jackson's record came in the girls' Class One 200 metres. She won in 23.41 seconds to get the better of teammate Olivia James, who was second in 24.45.