Corporate Area Champs set for exciting two-day showdown

THE second regional high school track and field meet for the season , the two-day Corporate Area Championships, will get under way this morning at the Ashenheim Stadium (Jamaica College), starting at 8:30 a.m. with the long jump final for Class One girls and preliminary-round action in the Class Four girls’ 70m hurdles.

A prelude to next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), fans can expect two days of high-quality performances on and off the track as athletes and teams look to secure psychological advantages ahead of the ‘big dance’.

Excelsior High are defending champions in the girls’ section, where they are expected to be seriously challenged by Immaculate Conception High, Wolmer’s Girls, and Convent of Mercy, Alpha in what promises to be wide-open competition.

On the boys’ side, defending and many-time champions Kingston College (KC) will be under severe pressure from Jamaica College (JC), who could secure their first Corporate Area title, while the likes of Calabar High and Excelsior are expected to make it a battle royal.

Following the 2000m steeplechase, which was held two weeks ago at the Youngster Goldsmith Classics, Alpha, with 16 points, are the early leaders among the girls. Ashanti Parkes (8:21.60) and Tydrania Palmer (8:52.51) were the top two finishers from the Corporate Area, and Ashana Bonnick of The Queen’s School was third in 8:57.66. Queen’s are second on nine points, with Immaculate (6) and Excelsior (5) closing out the top four.

JC have taken what could be a decisive 15-point lead over KC following two finals at the Youngster Goldsmith Classics – the 2000m steeplechase open and the pole vault.

The Old Hope Road-based school had a one-two finish in the steeplechase as Evans Tetteh took the win in 6:09.63 ahead of teammate Tyrone Lawson, second in 6:30.59, with Calabar’s Shakeem Ebanks third in 6:46.02.

KC’s Jurel Clement captured the pole vault open with a height of 3.49m, while JC picked up solid points from Isaac O’Neil Reid (3.40m) and Daniel Facey (3.30m) following second- and third-place finishes.

JC lead with 29 points, followed by KC on 14. Excelsior (8), Calabar (6) and Camperdown (4) close out the top five.

Fourteen finals will be contested today – nine among the girls and five for the boys. On the track, there will be finals in all classes in the 1500m for both boys and girls. There will also be finals in the 100m for both sexes, following preliminary-round action earlier in the day.