Champs to sizzle - Calabar, Holmwood favoured to repeat

Published: Wednesday | April 1, 2009
Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport

( l - r ) Ramone McKenzie - Calabar, Keiron Stewart - Kingston College

( l - r )Janieve Russell - Holmwood Technical, Gayon Evans - Edwin Allen

( l - r ) Dexter Lee - Herbert Morrison, Nickel Ashmeade - St Jago

The cream of the crop, the best local-based junior talent, will be on show today and over the next three days as the premier high school track and field competition - certainly in the Caribbean and perhaps in the world - the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletic Championships, take centre stage at the National Stadium.

With the brilliant exploits of Jamaica's athletes at last year's Beijing Olympics still fresh in the minds of track and field fans, the interest in this year's championships is very high.

As many as 2,702 athletes from 192 teams - 98 boys and 94 girls - are down to compete at the event, which starts at 8:15 a.m. today.

Four finals will be contested - girls' triple jump open, discus Class Three and discus Class One; and the boys' Class One long jump.

Ultimate objective

For some of the high school stars on show, the ultimate objective this season could be the sixth IAAF World Youth Championships, which will take place in Bressanone, Italy, from Wednesday, July 8, to Sunday, July 12.

Others will want to cement their places on the team for the Carifta Games, which will be held over the Easter weekend in St Lucia.

The main prizes, however, are the championships titles for boys and girls, now being held by Calabar High and Holmwood Technical, respectively.

Calabar, who won for the first time as far back as 1930, will be seeking their 22nd lien overall and third in a row, following triumphs in 2007 and last year.

Holmwood, known for producing quality athletes, lifted their first crown in 2003 and are seeking to make it seven in a row.

The defending champions are hot favourites to retain their titles.

Calabar are strong in Class One where 2007 World Youth 200m champion, Ramone McKenzie, is set to dominate rivals in the 200m and 400m. Calabar also look untouchable in the Class One sprint relay where they recently went under 40 seconds to break the Gibson Relays record.

Defending the title

Michael Clarke, coach of Calabar High, said yesterday that they are ready to defend the title.

"Most of our objectives have been met going into the championships," he said.

He added: "We have had injuries just like any other team, niggling injuries, but we have been managing them very well and, as such, I do not think they should be a major threat."

Clarke said Calabar were strong all-round with a bit more emphasis in Class One, and they should do well "right across the board in sprints, middle distances and field events".

The Calabar coach declined to name any one school as his main rival at the meet.

PAST WINNERS

Girls Champions

1957: - St Hilda's High1958-60:-No Competition1961:-Manchester High1962: -St Andrew High1963: -Titchfield High1964: -Titchfield High1965: -Manning's High1966: -Manning's High1967-68: -Vere Technical1969: -Manning's High1970-73: -Excelsior High1974-75: -Vere Technical1976-77: -St Mary High1978: -Queen's High1979-93: -Vere Technical1994-95: -Manchester High1996-99: -St Jago High2000-02: -Vere Technical2003-08:-Holmwood Technical

Boys Champions

1910: -Wolmer's1911-13: -Jamaica College1914: -St George's College1915: -Wolmer's1916: -Jamaica College1917: -Wolmer's School1918-19: -Jamaica College1920: -Munro College1921-23: -Jamaica College1924: -Wolmer's School1925: -St George's College1926: -Munro College1927: -Wolmer's1928: -Jamaica College1929: -Wolmer's1930-33: -Calabar High1934-35: -Munro College1936: -Calabar High1937: -Kingston College1938-39: -Wolmer's School1940: -Jamaica College1941: -Wolmer's1942: -Kingston College1943: -Munro College1944: -No Competition1945: -Munro College1946: -Calabar High1947-48: -Munro College1949: -Wolmer's School1950-51: -Kingston College1952: -Jamaica College1953-54: -Kingston College1955: -Calabar High1956: -Wolmer's1957: -Kingston College1958: -Calabar High1959: -Jamaica College1960: -Excelsior High1961: -Calabar High1962-75: -Kingston College1976-78 -Calabar High1979-80: -Kingston College1981: -Calabar High1982: -Clarendon College1983: -Kingston College1984-85: -Clarendon College1986: -Calabar High1987: -St Jago High1988-90: -Calabar High1991-92: -Jamaica College1993: -St Jago High1994-95: -Jamaica College1996-97: -Calabar High1998-00: -Jamaica College2001-06: -Kingston College2007-08: -Calabar High

Vere Technical's Jura Levy will anchor her team's hope of success.

Champs to sizzle

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Leave the kids alone!
on the sporting edge

Paul Reid
Thursday, February 26, 2009

Here we go again. The track season is picking up steam and we are just about a month away from Boys' and Girls' Champs and already pundits, fans and those who just watch the sport are heralding the new Usain Bolts right left and centre.

Every time a youngster runs anything close to a decent time at any preparatory meet we get the obligatory comparison with the triple World Record holder. I wonder if that is fair to the children involved.

Usain Bolt is a once-in-a-lifetime freak of nature that can party, eat fast food then go out and break world records. It is far more difficult for us mere mortals who must train hard, go to bed early, get lots of rest and stick to a regimented nutrititional discipline to get even a modicum of success.

Western Champs which ended on Saturday saw brilliant action on the track and the predictions are that western Jamaica will be well represented come Champs and in the selection for junior teams to the CARIFTA Games in April, the Pan-American Juniors and the IAAF World Championships later in the year.

That should be enough pressure for the youngsters to shoulder and a 14-year-old who may yearn to lead the Reggae Boys to the 2014 World Cup more than becoming the next Olympic track hero, should not he saddled with more burdens that he can bear.

One of the things I learned as a young journalist a long time ago was that we should allow the youngsters to enjoy what they are doing and not subject them to the some times unnecessary spotlight of the media.

Many of my more seasoned and respected colleagues tell me they never interview or seek to single our high school athletes until they get to Class 1 or in football or cricket to age 18 or so when they are better able to deal with it.

But of course it is the job of the media to highlight youngsters of any age who do well enough to win or lead their team to victories.

I recall years ago one very respected high school football coach complaining that after being singled out by a local media house for highlights and features after scoring lots of goals in a short period, a player decided he did not need to train anymore and he was now a star.

Needless to say the star lost his place in the team and the same media house that had 'bigged him up' not so long ago, completely ignored him.

Forgive me if I am not jumping out of my skin to crown the next world beater but Jamaica's high school track and field history is replete with the 'next greats' who for whatever reason never quite make the grade.

Closer to home, Western Champs has seen some great potential who never made the next level.

Draion McNain of Mannings won everything from long jump, 100m and 200m, hurdles all in record times but is now playing football at a Junior College in the US.

Paul Thompson of Munro won the Class 3 long jump with over 7metres and secured a full ride to a good US school, we have not heard from him in a while.

Chances are he has a degree and is doing very well for himself and his family.

Let us allow the kids to develop at their own pace.

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CC nab both titles in Western Conference league
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer
Friday, January 30, 2009

MONTEGO BAY, St James - Cornwall College completed the ISSA/KFC Western Conference basketball double after a pulsating 85-52 win over Mannings School at Montego Bay Cricket Club to take the U-19 section 2-1 on Wednesday.

The MoBay school won the first of the best-of-three final, 77-70, with Mannings levelling the series, 93-79, on Monday.

Cornwall had earlier won the U-16 section by beating Spot Valley 2-0 to sweep the two available titles for the first time in six years.

 

 

 

 

Richard Chambers (left) of Mannings dribbles past Cornwall's Gavin Brown during Game Three of the Western Conference basketball U-19 final at MoBay Cricket Club Wednesday. Cornwall won the match, 85-52, for a 2-1 series victory. (Photo: Paul Reid)

After scoring an incredible 59 points, 40 in the first half, on Monday, Mannings' Richard Chambers was held to just 22 points on Wednesday as the winners stepped up their defensive intensity while scoring on fast breaks.

Chambers was given little room to manoeuvre, being doubled teamed on almost every possession. Despite this, he was still able to break free and lead his team's scoring.
Winning coach, Sheldon Pearson, made several tactical changes, including keeping starting forward Ricardo Greaves out of the game for the entire first quarter. The player responded with a sparkling 23-point effort.

Pearson told the Observer he decided to keep Greaves on the bench after he ran into early foul trouble in the previous game.

Pearson also left power forward Jhaun Bryan on the bench for most of the first half, but he ran into foul trouble, picking up his fourth midway the third quarter and only returned later when the game was decided. He however scored eight points, four from two big dunks, had seven blocked shots and nine rebounds.

Cornwall led by just three points, 15-12, after the first quarter where both teams appeared nervous and created a number of turnovers in front of a fair-sized crowd.

The new champs settled quickly in the second quarter with the insertion of Greaves and outscored their opponents, 28-12. They led by as many as 25 points midway the third period which they led 60-38 at the end.

Mannings managed to close the gap to 19 points early in the fourth quarter, 42-63, but with Jordan McPherson fouling out with 10 points, Cornwall went into overdrive and took the lead up to 28 points 78-50 before winning by 33 as Peter Michael Reid sealed the win with a powerful two-handed dunk with less than a minute to go.

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Cornwall College, Manning's School battle for Under-19 crown

Published: Wednesday | January 28, 2009
Adrian Frater, News Editor

Christopher Smith (left, front), the captain of Cornwall College, accepts the KFC Under-16 basketball title from Monica McIntyre (third from right), the chairperson of basketball at ISSA and principal of Ocho Rios, after his team's win over Spot Valley at the Montego Bay Cricket Club courts on Monday afternoon. Looking on are Charles Stephenson (second right), president of the Western Basketball Association, Al Remekie (right), the national coordinator for basketball, and members of the victorious team. - Adrian Frater photo

WESTERN BUREAU:

WITH THEIR best-of-three finals locked at 1-1 after two hard-fought games, Cornwall College and Manning's School will be gunning to crown themselves KFC Western Conference Under-19 champions when they meet in today's deciding Game Three at the Montego Bay Cricket Club Courts at 5:00 p.m.

In last Thursday's Game One, Cornwall College took a 1-0 lead after registering a good 77-70 win. However, Manning's averted a clean sweep on Monday when they won Game Two 93-79 to set-up today's decider.

Unlike their senior counterparts, Cornwall College's Under-16 team, which won last Thursday's Game One against Spot Valley 54-39, wrapped up its series on Monday by winning Game Two 58-44 to cop the Under-16 title.

In a game they dominated for the most part, Cornwall College won all four quarters - 9-8, 22-18, 13-12 and 13-5, much to the delight of their coach, Sheldon Pearson, who described their win as most deserving. Captain Christopher Smith, who had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Oshane Cunningham, who had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Obrian Shearves, who had 10 points, were all outstanding in Cornwall College's win. Nicholas Smith was Spot Valley's top player with 10 points.

Man-to-man

In the senior game, Cornwall College started out looking like they were ready to emulate their juniors' clean sweep as they rushed to a 6-0 lead. However, once Manning's began to settle, the tide steadily began to swing in their favour although they still lost the quarter 9-8.

"We came here today prepared to play hard man-to-man basketball because we were determined to extend the series to a third game," said Manning's," coach, Kenneth Blackwood. "You are going to see more of the same in Game Three as we intend to take home this title," Blackwood said.

March to victory

In the second quarter, the tide settled on Manning's' side as Richard Chambers, who had an amazing 59 points, and Troy Reid, who had 12, started their team's march to victory.

At the halfway stage they were up 51-42, which they extended to 71-64 at the end of the third quarter. When victory came, they were comfortably ahead 93-79 win.

"We played poorly today - we probably made only 10 out of about 40 free throws, which is just the way to lose a game," said coach Pearson, who was hoping that his seniors would have emulated the juniors.

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Mannings out! Three-time champions buckle under economic pressure

PAUL A REID, Observer West writer Thursday, January 15, 2009

Triple jumper Trecia Kay Smith in action.

SAV LA MAR, Westmoreland

The Mannings School, one of the most noted names in local track and field will not compete in this year's track and field season due to lack of funding.

Authorities at Mannings - three time national Girls Champions for 1965, 1966 and 1969 - told the Observer West of the "difficult decision" to withdraw on Tuesday, noting that they hoped to be back on a firmer foundation as of next year.

"We are working on strengthening the foundation and we are hoping that a fund that was started some time ago by the past students will be increased so we can resume track and field next year," said Principal Gloria Wagstaff, herself a past student who represented the school in netball in the 1960s.

Wagstaff said that ever since she took over as head in 2005, the Physical Education department has "always struggled" to fund all the sporting disciplines the school takes part in. She vowed, however, not to let the sport die.

"I won't allow that to happen under my watch," she said, noting that the suspension was the "best move to make at this time" as "fund-raising was not enough".

Mannings has won the Western High School track and field championships many times and has produced a number of athletes who have represented junior and senior national teams at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.


The most notable past students are Trecia Kay Smith, who won the gold medal in the triple jump at the IAAF World Championship in Helsinki, Finland in 2005; 400m hurdler Allison Beckford and sprint hurdler Vonette Dixon. Wagstaff, who will mark 30 years as a teacher at Mannings in August, told the Observer West the school's board had set up a committee to deal "specifically with the funding of sports at Mannings."

In the meantime, Diana Gopaulsingh, head of the PE department and also a former athlete at Mannings said she felt "down hearted, let down and tormented" by the decision. She said while they were able to keep other sports such as netball going, track and field took up a lot of their budget.

Gopaulsingh who is also a member of the executive of the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA), the body who organises track and field athletics among western high schools says she has been keeping busy by organising inter-form and inter-house events at the school.

Mannings had withdrawn from Western Champs in 2007, citing lack of funds and had fielded only a boys' team last year despite the presence of some gifted 'field events' girls at the school.

Vowing not to allow the sport to die under her watch, she went on to say that they were confident they would be able to field a team next season.

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Chelsea Hammond leaps into Beijing Olympics

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer Saturday, June 28, 2008

Despite not jumping anywhere near her best this season, Chelsea Hammond did enough to book her ticket to Beijing this summer after retaining her long jump title on yesterday's first day of the JAAA National Senior Championships at the National Stadium.

Hammond, who is the only Jamaican female long jumper with an Olympic 'B' standard, won the event with a best jump of 6.16m and later said she would be "happy with anything right now" while admitting it was a tough day.

Chelsea Hammond in her jump of 6.16m at the JAAA National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last evening. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Hammond who suffered an injury after winning the event last year and missed the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan has a season best 6.69m and said she would use the time between now and the Olympic Games to prepare, "just keep doing what I have been doing, training hard".

Hammond's best jump last night came on her fifth attempt and was accompanied by a -0.7m/s wind.

He second best attempt was 6.57m done on her final attempt which was still better than second placed Jovanee Jarrett's 6.52m while Nolle Graham was third with 6.49m.
National record holder Elva Goulbourne was fourth with a best of 6.42m.

Former World Championship gold medalist Trecia Smith will try to make the team today when she lines up to defend her title in the triple jump against a small field of five athletes.

Smith who is recovering from a back injury suffered in Osaka last year has not been competing this year but told the Observer this week, "I've been quietly preparing... I didn't have the surgery because it wasn't necessary."

The former Manning's School and Pittsburg University student said she has had "several MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans done after the inflammation went down and it is a central protrusion, but it does not require surgery and I've been managing that and I started training in October," Smith explained.

Louisiana State University's Andrea Linton who has a season best 13.57m will also be in the field.

Former St Hughes High athlete, 21-year-old Phelecia Reynolds, now attending Louisiana Tech won her first national senior title when she took the women's discus throw in 45.15m
The LA Tech junior holder and Western Athletics Conference (WAC) champion who came in with a season and personal best 51.69m, beat Genneva Greaves of MVP Track Club- 42.00m and former Vere Technical Girls Champs winner Kenisha Throughsingh- 40.55m.

Aundre Clarke of the University of Technology retained the men's javelin throw with a best mark of 61.58m, just better than the 61.27m he threw to win last year.

Michael Chambers of GC Foster College was second with 50.28m while Wilton Peart was third with 36.34m.

Zara Northover will defend her shot put title this afternoon and will start favourite to win after a personal best 17.01m earlier.

Nadia Alexander of Louisiana Tech who won the discus last year is expected to be her main rival.

The men's high jump and men's discuss will also be contested today.

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Dahlia Duhaney, One time Manning's School Athlete

 

Joy on the faces of the Jamaican girls after  the relay gold (Dahlia Duhaney, Juliet Cuthbert, Merlene Ottey and Beverly McDonald).

4 x 100 metres relay final:

1. Jamaica 41.94
2. Soviet Union 42.20
3. Germany 42.33
4. Nigeria  42.77
5. France  43.34
6. Cuba 43.75
7. Italy  43.76
8. Australia 43.79

Dahlia Duhaney (born 1970-07-20) is a retired sprinter from Jamaica, who competed for her native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. She won the world title in the women's 4x100m relay at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, alongside Juliet Cuthbert, Beverly McDonald and Merlene Ottey

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Mannings on a roll in Western Conference U-19 basketball league