Western Champs: Mt Alvernia take girls’ title, STETHS retain boys’ crown

NEW girls’ champions were crowned at last Saturday’s Western Athletics Championships as Mt Alvernia High dethroned defending champions St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS). The Santa Cruz-based STETHS, however, retained their boys’ title in the meet held at G.C. Foster College.

Mt Alvernia ended on 327 points while STETHS were second with 272. They were followed in the top five by William Knibb Memorial High (156), Lacovia High (114) and Sydney Pagon High (107).

The STETHS boys amassed 435 points to win ahead of William Knibb (322), Munro College (320), Herbert Morrison Technical (149) and Cornwall College (147).

Neil Harrison, technical director at St Elizabeth Technical, said he thought the boys would have had a sterner test.

“Happy for the win among the boys, but I thought it would have been more challenging, as we never expected to win that easily. It showed that we had more depth than the other teams, although I think the likes of William Knibb and Munro gave a good account of themselves,” said Harrison.

Harrison stated that the girls’ team is in a rebuilding process after Hurricane Melissa.

“Our female team suffered big time from the hurricane. The girls’ dormitory was severely damaged, displacing them and making it difficult to train. We were also extremely short in Class One, as we had a small number there and were unable to compete in most of the events,” he said.

The outstanding Class One athlete Shanoya Douglas of Holland High took the sprint double to emerge the standout performer among the girls. Competing for her new school, the former Muschett High athlete wrote her name in the record books in the 100 metres, winning in 11.37 seconds, ahead of Sharia Bell of Mt Alvernia, who was second in 11.99, with her teammate Shannon Salmon third in 12.19.

Earlier, Douglas, the World Under-20 200m bronze medallist, romped to victory in the half-lap event in a wind-aided 23.34. Bell and her teammate Salmon finished second and third in 25.32 and 25.76, respectively.

Denae Hodge of Sydney Pagon continued her good form this season, copping a double win in Class One. She won the 400m in 55.72 seconds, ahead of Alaine Watson of Mt Alvernia (56.60). She then raced to victory in the 800m in 2:16.12, ahead of her teammate Anastasia Blackwood (2:18.49) and Cheryce Boyce of William Knibb (2:19.15).

Malia Housen of Mt Alvernia won the girls’ triple jump Open with a distance of 11.28m, while Jade Clarke of STETHS took the Class One girls’ discus with 37.85m.

Sanjaye Seymore of William Knibb sent a strong message to his rivals that he is in top form in the sprints after an impressive double win. Winner of the Class One 200m last year at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, Seymore romped to victory in a wind-aided 20.83 (+3.8 m/s). He later returned to take the 100m in 10.29.

On both occasions, he had Johan Ramaldo Smythe of Holland and Oshane Jervis of Green Island behind him. Smythe clocked 10.37 for second in the 100m and 21.30 in the 200m, while Jervis did 10.57 in the 100m and 21.68 in the 200m.

Jabari Martheson of William Knibb was an impressive winner in the Class One 400m, clocking 47.94 seconds, ahead of his teammate Joshua Wint (48.12) and Dominique Anderson of Maggotty (48.96).

Luke Plummer of Sydney Pagon maintained his good season form after winning the Class Two 800m in 2:00.32, ahead of Dejaun Gray of STETHS (2:03.06) and Denval Roache of Green Island (2:04.01). Gray reversed the positions in the 1500m, winning in 4:29.09 with Plummer second in 4:29.40.

Munro continued to have good results in the throwing events this season. They had a one-two finish in the Class One discus as Rajean Streete won with a distance of 55.88m, ahead of Javantae Smith (55.12m) and Dajean Watson of William Knibb (49.26m).

Brandon Lawrence was best in Class Two for Munro, winning with a throw of 48.4m, ahead of Jalur Anthony Whyte of Cornwall College (45.72m).

Raymond Graham@gleanerjm.com