The Central Champs Review

Central champs was always the event to watch when you wanted to see the top school girls in action before girl’s championships. But this year, the boys have stepped up their game and some of the performances of the male athletes came close to rivalling the male performances at the corporate champs. The girls of course showed why they will continue to dominate the girl’s championships, with high quality performances not seen in other regional meets.

There were a number of outstanding performances at these championships, but these were the ones that in my opinion will the most effect on the results at the big ISSA championships.

THE BOYS PERFORMANCES

Gregory Prince (St. Jago)

At the Gibson relays, St. Jago superman Gregory Prince was certainly the MVP of the meet, almost singlehandedly winning both the sprint and mile relays with devastating runs. At central champs, he opted to run the 400m instead of his more favored 100m. He won the race in a season leading time of 46.31 and is now the favorite to win the 400m title at champs.  He defeated Bryan Levell in the 200m heats, as both athletes jogged to the finish line.  But Prince did not turn up for the 200m finals which was easily won by Levell in 20.71. Prince has never won an individual medal at champs, but this year he intends to show why he is called superman.

Steer Town Boys

One big surprise was the quality of the sprints at the central champs. We all expected Bryan Levell, Sandrey Davidson and Gregory Prince to put on a show in the class I sprints, but the performances in all classes were of a very high standard. The big eye opener here however, was the performance of two sprinters from Steer Town Academy.  In class II, Omarion Barrett won the class two sprints double with times of 10.83 and 21.81, placing him close to the top of the champs ranking in both events. Another Steer Town boy Tay-Shawn Barnes placed third in the class I 100m, running a smart time of 10.59 seconds.  Will Steer Town Academy finally win a a medal at champs?

Edwin Allen Duo (Boys)

Christopher Young and Trevor Gunzell are top of the champs rankings in the throwing events. They dominated all three throwing events at central champs and are strong favorites to do the same at boy’s champs. In the class I discus event, both boys threw over 59m, while in the shot-put event, both threw over 18m. Young then went on to win the open javelin event with a throw of 61.7m, confirming his status is the favorite to win the event at boys champs.

Franklyn Tayloe (Foga Road High)

In 2020, class three athlete Franklyn Tayloe dominated the 800m at central champs and was expected to win the school’s first gold medal at champs.  But covid put a stop to champs that year, and those dreams had to be put on hold. Last year, he made the 800m finals in his first year as a class II athlete but did not win a medal. This year, he ran 1:55.4 in the U20 Carifta trials race, making him the top ranked 800m athlete in class II. He easily won the class II race at central champs and his dream of becoming Foga Road’s first gold medalist may soon be realized.

Troydian Flemmings (Manchester)

Flemmings moved to the top of the class III 400m ranking, when he ran 50.80 in the central champs 400m finals.  He did this after a grueling day, competing in the heats of the 400m and the finals of the 800m. His winning time of 2:06 in the 800m keeps his ranking in the top five of this event.

Balvin Israel (St. Jago)

In his first year in class II, Israel won the long jump event at champs last year. He is back in the class and is expected to easily defend his title.  He is undefeated this year, and is the only class II athlete to have jumped over 7m.

THE GIRLS PERFORMANCES

Edwin Allen Field events

We have heard a lot about Edwin Allen’s strength on the track, with sprinters like Tia and Tina Clayton, Serena Cole and middle distance runners like Rikeisha Simms, Rushana Dwyer and Jessica McLeod. But it will be the quality of their field event athletes that will make Edwin Allen unbeatable at girl’s champs. High Jumpers Deijanae Bruce (CII) and Asia McKoy (CIII) and Ashareah Enoe (CI) all jumped over 1.70m at the central championships and should score significant points at girl’s champs. In the long jump events, Serena Cole (CI) and Doniellia Lewis (CII) continue to perform at a high level, while in the throwing events, Dionjah Shaw (CIII), Shamoyea Morris (CII) and Damali Williams (CI) are all ranked close to the top in the discus rankings.

Hydel’s class II sprint stars.

With Brianna Lyston (Hydel), Tia and Tina Clayton (Edwin Allen) and Serena Cole (Edwin Allen) dominating the airwaves with their sprinting performances, fans may overlook the exploits of the two class II Hydel Sprinters Alana Reid and Kerrica Hill. At central champs, Reid won the 100m in 11.37 placing her second in the championship rankings to teammate Hill who ran 11.31 at the Carifta trials. Hill then won the central champs 200m in 23.57, placing her second in the rankings to teammate Reid who ran 23.29 at the Carifta trials.  Hill also won the sprint hurdles in a central champs meet record of 13.21. These two girls will dominate the class II sprints and hurdles at this year’s girls championships and when they team up with Brianna Lyston at the Penn relays, the long awaited clash with the dominant Edwin Allen sprint relay team should be a sight to see.

St Catherine Girls

St. Catherine High scored 197.5 points, placing fifth at the central championships, behind the big four of Edwin Allen (375), Hydel (305), St. Jago (274) and Holmwood (220). St. Catherine has been steadily improving over the years, and could upstage Holmwood at the girl’s championships. The outstanding St. Catherine athletes are Kitania Headley (class II 800m), Ackera White (class IV sprints), Asharrie Ulett (class II sprints) and Rihanna Chambers (Class III long jump)

Brianna Lyston VS the Twins

We still have not had a finals clash between Brianna Lyston and the Clayton twins, and we will certainly have to wait for the girls championships for this matchup in both the 100m and 200m.  But no one will argue that Lyston is now the favorite in both events. At the Carifta trials, she ran 22.66 in the 200m and at the central championship, was just as easy in the 100M, when she matched up against Tia Clayton and ran  11.14 seconds, the fastest time recorded by a junior this year. Lyston now has the fastest junior times in the world over both the 100m and 200m.

Cedricka Williams (Holmwood)

Williams has been the dominant female discus thrower for a number of years. She is the current holder of both the class III and Class II records at girl’s champs, and is also the U17 Carifta games record holder. This year, she won the U20 event at the Carifta games with a throw of 50m, but her throw of 53.91 at central champs tells us that the class I record of 53.04 and the Carifta record of 54.19 (both set By Fiona Richards) are under serious threat.  By the end of the year, Williams could be the record holder in all classes and categories at champs and at Carifta.

written by Oliver Harris