Pictures from Boys Champs 2008 – Congratulations Calabar!
Calabar are the 2008 Boys champs winners amassing a whopping 277.5 points. Here are some pictures of the days festivities and celebrations emailed to us by friends and family of the Calabar High School fraternity!
Calabar Lions Victory Lap
Calabar High School 2008 Track Team
There was a sea of Calabar supporters in the stands
Congratulating the Coach
Calabar High School 2008 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ Athletics Champions
At the end of the meet at the National Stadium, defending champions Calabar High retained the Boys’ title with 277.5 points, while Holmwood secured their sixth straight lien of the Girls’ crown with 352 points. Kingston College were second in the boys’ standings with 233, followed by St Jago on 155.5, Jamaica College 153, and Wolmer’s on 128 rounding out the top five on the boys’ side.
Andrew Riley of Calabar and Salcia Slack of Holmwood were the overall champion boy and girl, respectively, of the meet. World Youth 100m and 200m silver medallist, Ashmeade, produced a scorching last 20 metres sprint to catch and nip Calabar’s Ramone McKenzie on the finish-line in 21.04 seconds into a strong head wind (-2.1 p/s).
McKenzie, who had posted 46.32secs to win the 400 metres three hours earlier, was beaten by 0.01 second in his favoured half-lap race. Blake, who led the race for the most part, faded badly and had to settle for bronze in 21.31secs. Incidentally, for the first time in the history of the meet, the top seven finalists went below 22secs. Jason Young of William Knibb was fourth in 21.70, Dexter Lee of Herbert Morrison fifth (21.76), Jamaica College’s Winston Barnes sixth (21.84) and Oshane Bailey of Calabar seventh (21.97). Darrion Bent of Mannings High did not finish the race.
The Class Two equivalent went to Calabar’s Travis Drummond – the Class Three champion and record holder (22.17secs) from last season – in 22.40secs. Teivaskie Lewin of Herbert Morrison was second in 22.45secs ahead of Munro College’s Rolando Reid in 22.65secs.
Jazeel Murphy returned 22.62 to win the Class Three event ahead Odean Skeen of Wolmer’s (23.02) and 100-metre gold medallist Adam Cummings of Munro College (23.28secs). Yesterday’s victory was Calabar’s 21st lien on the Mortimor Geddes trophy in the 97-year history of the meet, which was first staged in 1910. Their first win came in 1930. No competition was held in 1944.
Boys Champs 2008 Day 3 Results and Highlights
Adam Cummings of Munro College produced an unbelievable 10.91 seconds (wind +0.2 p/s) to win the Class Three 100 metres in a new record on yesterday’s penultimate day of competition of the 2008 GraceKennedy/ISSA Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Cummings, who had finished sixth in last year’s final, exploded from the blocks and had the race won from the 60-metre mark as he opened up a five-metre lead on pre-race favourite Jazeel Murphy of Bridgeport (10.97secs).
Young Cummings, the son of Observer Photo Editor Bryan, bettered the old record of 10.99 done by Jamaica College’s Winston Barnes in 2003. Andre Robinson of St Jago was third in 11.37secs.
The script went according to plan in the Class One equivalent as World Junior bronze medallist and national record holder Yohan Blake of St Jago clocked 10.27secs to retain his title. Nickel Ashmead completed the quinella for the Danny Hawthorne-coached St Jago team with a fast finish to post 10.34. World Youth 100 metres gold medallist Dexter Lee of Herbert Morrison took bronze in 10.43secs, while Winston Barnes was fourth with 10.50. Earl Lee, who recently won the Under-17 sprint double at the Carifta trials, produced an impressive late finish to catch and beat Rolando Reid of Munro College in the Class Two equivalent. Lee was timed at 10.82secs, 0.01 ahead of Reid, while Kemar Bailey-Cole of Old Harbour High took bronze with 10.85.
At press time, Calabar led the standings with 109 points, after the Triple Jump Open. Kingston College was in second position on 101, followed by Jamaica College 70, St Jago 55 and Wolmer’s 46 to round out the top five.
Boys Champs 2008 Day 2 Results and Highlights
Propelled by Andrew Riley’s victory in the heptathlon, defending champions Calabar High rushed into the lead with 39 points on the second day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Athletics Championship at the National Stadium yesterday. Meanwhile, Girls champions, Holmwood Technical, also assumed the lead on a day of two records while one was equalled as the champs opened up a 19-point lead over Vere Technical, 48 to 29, with St Hugh’s third on 27.
Among the boys, the Michael Clarke-coached school from Red Hills Road brushed off their failure to score on Wednesday to take the lead entering into today’s third day.
With 32 finals to go, Jamaica College (JC) are second with 35 points, followed by Kingston College (KC) 34, Wolmer’s 30 and Morant Bay 15. Riley, who scored 4,897 points to win the seven-discipline event last season, produced 5,064 to retain the title yesterday.
Boys Champs 2008 Day 1 Results and Highlights
Kingston College lead the Boys’ section with 13 points after one final following yesterday’s first day of the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships at the National Stadium. There was a lone record in the heats of the Class 1 4×100m as St Jago clocked a swift 39.78secs to erase their one-year-old mark of 39.80secs, with Yohan Blake on anchor. KC finished down the line in their heat and have been eliminated.
Wolmer’s are second with 11 points, followed by Morant Bay seven, Jamaica College three and St Jago two for the top five. Defending champions and favourites Calabar are yet to score a point. Yesterday was not without incident as proceedings were delayed for an hour-and-a-half due to a protest by coaches who were denied access to the bleachers to watch their athletes. The matter was satisfactorily resolved.
Tarik Batchelor, who will be taking up a full scholarship at the University of Arkansas this summer, leaped 7.60 metres to win the Class One long jump.
Batchelor’s teammate, Kemardo Tyrell, took fifth to take KC’s points tally to 13. The medals were completed by Morant Bay’s Dean Swimmer (7.27m) and Akeem Elliott of Wolmer’s (7.10m).
Four finals will be completed today – the Class One Boys discus, the Class 3 high jump, the pole vault Open and the Heptathlon.
Kevin Bradford of St Jago produced 44.38 metres to top the qualifiers in the Class One discus yesterday. Noel Facey of Calabar heaved 44.32m and JC’s Shane Dodd, 43.63m.
After four events in the seven-event Heptathlon, title-holder Andrew Riley Riley of Calabar leads with 3,216 points, followed by Kamal Fuller of Wolmer’s (2870).
Taking the violence out of Boys and Girls Champs
The experts agree that the near 100-year-old high schools athletics championship, now known as the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ & Girls’ Champs, probably is the single most important reason for the great strength of Jamaica’s track and field. Jamaica’s athletic giants, dating back to arguably the most complete of them all, National Hero Norman Washington Manley who dominated ‘Champs’ in 1911, have honed their skills at the annual track and field festival.
Name them, they have all been there. From the legendary Olympians Herb McKenley and Arthur Wint to the likes of Donald Quarrie, Lennox Miller, Merlene Ottey, Juliet Cuthbert, Deon Hemmings and to our current crop that includes Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell, Sherone Simpson and Usain Bolt, every generation of Jamaican athletes has been indebted to the ISSA-run boys’ and girls’ championships.
So great has been the impact of ‘Champs’ that several countries across the Caribbean region and elsewhere now seek to replicate it. But such is the nature of culture, tradition and history that the very special atmosphere that goes with Champs will remain unique to the Jamaican version. The excitement generated by the decades-old competition involving schools such as Jamaica College, Wolmer’s, Calabar and Kingston College has to be felt to be properly appreciated.
Unfortunately, that very excitement and intense competition have also seeded a negative aspect: sporadic violence down the years between supporters of the various schools.
Hence the decision – announced over recent days – by three of our leading boys’ schools – Jamaica College, Calabar and Kingston College – to jointly take initiatives to combat those who would disrupt the peace at Champs.
C&W Jamaica brings Asafa Powell to Boys and Girls Champs 2008
The world’s fastest man, Asafa Powell, will be on hand to present prizes to the top male and female athletes at this year’s Inter-Secondary Schools Association (ISSA) Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships, courtesy of Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ), an associate sponsor of the meet.
C&WJ has contributed approximately $3.8 million to the staging of the 2008 championships, which is the second allocation under a three-year agreement with ISSA. The amount represents a 15 per cent increase over C&WJ’s contribution last year.
Vice-president corporate communications Errol Miller said C&WJ’s continued sponsorship of the High School Championships demonstrates his company’s commitment to youth and sports development in Jamaica.
“We are gratified to have the opportunity to make a major contribution to a sport that has done so much to put our country on the map,” he said. “And we are proud to be involved in unearthing and showcasing the talents of the next generation of athletes that will continue our proud tradition in track and field.”
School is no Joke Tour Passes Through Calabar High
You’ve got mail, Voicemail!
On the Wednesday of last week, the tour visited three schools, Jamaica College, Kingston College and Calabar; the alma maters of the members of the Dancehall trio, Voicemail. The first stop was Jamaica College, which exultantly welcomed the artistes. Kevin and Oniel highlighted that the members of the group, although coming from different backgrounds (schools) worked together to achieve success.
The final stop was at Calabar High School. This tour was by far the most organised tour of the three. The students were all neatly seated in the auditorium when the bus arrived.
Dancehall Trio – Voicemail
There were cheers of excitement and anxiety when the bus parked outside the auditorium, as many of the students wondered which entertainers were in the bus. Craig, Kevin and Oneil departed from the bus and made their way to the platform inside the auditorium. The boys were very attentive and the artistes admirably delivered an exquisite speech. The boys asked interesting and productive questions. One of the awardees for most-improved student collected the award on behalf of the students.
Gibson Relays 2008 Results and Highlights
Defending Inter-Secondary boys champions Calabar High gave St Jago High’s crack sprint quartet a huge scare before losing in the final strides in an exciting end to the Gibson Relays Class One 4×100 metres relay at the National Stadium yesterday.
Led by the outstanding World Youth Championships 200 metres gold medallist Ramone McKenzie on the second leg, Calabar dominated for the first 300m and it took a devastating run from national junior 100m record holder Yohan Blake on the final leg to earn victory for St Jago ahead of Calabar’s anchorman Oshane Bailey. St Jago crossed the line in 40.29 with Calabar second in 40.81 and Jamaica College third in 40.81.
ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ & Girls’ Athletic Championships 2008 Launched
The perennial matter of security will be high on the agenda for the annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ & Girls’ Athletic Championships, with 20 per cent of the J$8.3-million budget for the 2008 event, which will take place from March 12-15 at the National Stadium, geared towards security.
Champs Chairman, Clement Radcliffe, speaking at yesterday’s launch of the island’s biggest track & field meeting at the Knutsford Court Hotel, said no more than 24,000 tickets will be sold for the bleachers section of the National Stadium.
Independence Park Limited general manager, Major Desmond Brown, told the Observer the National Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000, with 5,404 of those seats in the Grandstand. Read more
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