The 2025 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Ladies’ Athletics Championships are poised for an electrifying climax on Saturday, with Kingston School (KC) and Hydel Excessive firmly answerable for their respective divisions after an intense day of competitors on Friday.
Regardless of a setback on Friday—shedding 12 essential factors as a result of disqualification of boys’ decathlon winner Jurel Clement—KC stays atop the boys’ standings with 136.5 factors. Calabar, exhibiting robust kind, sits in second place with 115 factors, adopted by Jamaica School (JC) at 90 factors. St. Jago Excessive and Excelsior Excessive spherical out the highest 5 with 59 and 54 factors, respectively.
On the women’ aspect, Hydel Excessive leads the cost with 140 factors, holding off defending champions Edwin Allen, who’re shut behind at 129 factors. Holmwood Technical Excessive follows with 106 factors, whereas St. Jago Excessive (60) and Immaculate Conception Excessive (55) stay in rivalry.
Hydel’s Taiefa Gowe rewrites historical past
The standout efficiency of the day got here from Hydel’s Taiefa Gowe, who etched her title into Champs historical past with a record-breaking victory within the Ladies’ 2000m Steeplechase Open Ultimate. Gowe surged previous her competitors, clocking a formidable 6:52.82 minutes, shattering the 13-year-old report of seven:01.07 minutes beforehand set by Edwin Allen’s Desreen Montague in 2012.
Edwin Allen’s Sushana Johnson, who additionally ran quicker than the previous report, completed second in 6:55.69 minutes, whereas Holmwood’s Terrica Clarke claimed third in 7:18.93 minutes.
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Over within the Boys’ 2000m Steeplechase, KC’s Brian Kiprop continued his reign of dominance, storming to victory in 5:56.72 minutes to safe his second gold medal of the meet, having already claimed the 1500m title on Wednesday. Jamaica School’s Evans Tetteh completed second in 6:03.85 minutes, whereas Omar Campbell of BB Coke rounded out the rostrum with 6:04.46 minutes.
Hoffman shocks Class 1 400m hurdles subject
Within the remaining occasion of the night time, the Boys’ Class 1 400m Hurdles Ultimate, Excelsior Excessive’s Kishawn Hoffman surprised the sphere with a hard-fought victory in 50.97 seconds. Herbert Morrison Technical’s Trevoy Smith (51.12s) and St. George’s School’s Fransico Williams (51.14s) battled to the end however fell simply wanting the highest spot.
Calabar make a powerful push with a number of gold medals
Calabar had an impressive day, racking up 39 factors, fueled by victories in a number of occasions:
- Micah Wills clinched the Class 2 400m Hurdles gold in 52.69 seconds, forward of St. Jago’s Raneil Burke (53.57s) and KC’s Eshance Porter (54.02s).
- Lenworth Chung soared to victory within the Boys’ Pole Vault Open, clearing 3.80m, outpacing Excelsior’s Rhyeem Campbell (3.70m) and St. Jago’s Troy Barrett (3.70m).
- Shamar Shaw accomplished a golden double, including the Class 3 Lengthy Leap title to the Excessive Leap gold he gained the day prior to this. Shaw’s leap of 6.47m topped KC’s Daquan Dawkins (6.18m) and JC’s Omeco Henclewood (5.95m).
Edwin Allen’s Kellyann Carr ensured her faculty remained within the title hunt with an outstanding efficiency within the Ladies’ 400m Hurdles Ultimate, crossing the road in 57.41 seconds. Hydel’s duo of Nastassia Fletcher (57.92s) and Aaliyah Mullings (58.47s) secured second and third locations.
Extra champions emerge in subject occasions
A number of athletes delivered championship-worthy performances in subject occasions:
- Jade-Ann Dawkins of St. Jago secured her third consecutive Triple Leap Open title with a 13.11m leap, outdistancing Edwin Allen’s Deijanae Bruce (13.01m) and Hydel’s Sabrina Atkinson (12.85m).
- Jamaica School dominated the Boys’ Triple Leap Open, with Michael-Andre Edwards (15.38m) and Jaivar Cato (15.01m) securing gold and silver, whereas Ajarie Bloomfield of Titchfield Excessive claimed bronze with 14.93m.
- Daneille Noble of Wolmer’s soared to 1.80m to win the Ladies’ Class 1 Excessive Leap, edging out St. Andrew Excessive’s Shannique Williams and Edwin Allen’s Deijanae Bruce, who each cleared 1.73m.
- Immaculate Conception’s Sanique Watt claimed gold within the Class 4 Excessive Leap with a 1.73m clearance.
- Hydel’s Brandane Malcom dominated the Ladies’ Class 2 Discus Ultimate with a throw of 46.54m, whereas Jada Francis (44.89m) and Jamelia Younger (43.81m) rounded out the rostrum.
- Saturday’s grand finale awaits with 44 titles up for grabs
The championship showdown reaches its crescendo on Saturday with 21 finals for the boys and 23 for the women, promising an exhilarating conclusion to 5 days of fierce competitors. Amidst the excessive stakes, controversy has additionally performed a job, with an uncommon variety of false begins resulting in debate and confusion.
One of the dramatic moments concerned Ladies’ Class 1 100m champion Sabrina Dockery, who was disqualified from the 200m semi-finals attributable to a false-start ruling. Nevertheless, in a surprising reversal, Dockery was granted a run-off alternative, which she seized, securing her spot within the remaining set for Saturday.
With the battle for the coveted Boys’ and Ladies’ Champs trophies nearing its finish, all eyes will likely be on Kingston School and Hydel Excessive to see if they will cement their supremacy—or if a dramatic twist awaits within the remaining stretch.
