The 2023 ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boy’s and Girl’s Championship lasted for five days, from Tuesday, March 28 to Saturday, April 1. There was a huge build-up to the Championship, particularly, between Kingston College (KC) and Jamaica College (JC), on the boy’s side and Edwin Allen High and Hydel High, on the girl’s side. The unanswered question was: which schools would win the respective titles for Boys and Girls? Would KC retain or would JC regain? Would Edwin Allen defend their title or would Hydel High create history and dethrone Edwin Allen? From very early in the Championship, the top two schools for both boys and girls were clearly established, with the occasional swings between them, particularly, between Edwin Allen and Hydel.
On the boy’s side, the opinions were as sharply divided as they were on the girl’s side. However, quite a few notable analysts and pundits gave Jamaica College the edge over Kingston College, as they gave Edwin Allen the same over Hydel. But, things would play out differently. The general consensus was that Calabar and Holmwood would secure the number three spot for boys and girls, respectively. And, these ran true to form!
Day 1
On the opening day of the Championship, 25 preliminary events were contested, 13 on the boy’s side, and 12 on the girl’s side. On the boy’s side, KC, JC and Calabar were busy qualifying athletes for the next round of competition, as were Edwin Allen, Hydel and Holmwood and St. Jago on the girl’s side.
Day 2
The finals got underway on Day 2, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. In fact, the first eight finals were completed on the second day of competition. On Wednesday, March 29, with Jamaica College leading Kingston College 74 – 61 or by 13 points. Calabar scored 29 points, while St. Jago and St. Elizabeth Technical scored 28 and 27 points, respectively, to round out the top five. On the girl’s side, Edwin Allen stood atop the standings with 71 points, five points clear of Hydel that amassed 66 points. Holmwood Technical scored 51.5 points for third, while St. Jago and Immaculate Conception High scored 48 and 43 points, for fourth and fifth, respectively.
Day 3
Fifteen finals were completed on Day 3, Thursday, March 30, 2023; Kingston College scored 124 points, to wrestle the lead from Jamaica College that scored 121 points. Calabar ended day three on 70 points. The top five placings were rounded out by STETHS and St. Jago, who scored 41 and 32 points, respectively. On the girl’s side, after 16 events, Hydel narrowly led Edwin Allen (98 – 97). Holmwood Technical High was third, scoring 73.5 points. St Jago and Immaculate rounded out the top five, scoring 60 and 44 points, respectively.
Day 4
At the end of Day 4, and with twenty-one finals completed, Kingston College accumulated 190 points, and secured a 30 points advantage over Jamaica College. Calabar scored 95 points to hold onto the number three spot. St. Elizabeth tallied 54 points for fourth, while St. Jago, Excelsior and Edwin Allen were joint fifth position, with 10 points each. Edwin Allen continued to lead with 147 points, after twenty-three events, while Hydel High school tracked closely behind with 139.5 points. Holmwood Technical High maintained their third place with 99 points, while St. Jago and Immaculate Conception High rounded out the top five with 89 and 48 points, respectively.
Day 5
On the Day 5, the final day of the Championship, Kingston College surged to an impressive and unassailable 366 points, putting distance between itself, and Jamaica College that amassed 299 points for second. The margin of victory was emphatic, a 67 points differential, and in the process, flipping the script written by many analysts. Calabar ended the final day of the Championship on 207 points, while St Jago and St. Elizabeth rounded out the top five on 118.5 and 116 points, respectively.
On the girl’s side, Hydel scored 279 points, two points more than perennial Champions, Edwin Allen, to claim their first Girl’s Champs title. Holmwood Technical scored a total of 202 points for third, while St. Jago and St. Catherine rounded out the top five, with 178 and 116 points, respectively.
The victories gave Kingston College and Hydel their 34th and 1st Champs titles, respectively. Indeed, KC and Hydel produced the standout performers in Bouwahjgie Nkrumie and Alana Reid, respectively.
Nkrumie and Reid named top performers
In the 100m final, Kingston College’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie became the first male athlete to post a sub-10 clocking (9.99, +0.3) at the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boy’s and Girl’s Championship. Nkrumie was also part of the KC 4 x 100m quartet that won gold in 40.01. He also became the third junior to dip below the 10 seconds barrier, to join Trayvon Bromell of the USA and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana.
Hydel’s Alana Reid became the first female to register a sub-11 clocking (10.92, +1.0) at the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boy’s and Girl’s Championship. Reid also won the Class 1 200m in 23.08 (-2.0), and was part of the 4 x 100m quartet that won in 44.33, to bag three gold medals.
Special mention should also be made of Tahj-Marques White of KC, aka “Turbo”, who won the Class 2 200m/400m double in 21.44 (-2.5) and 47.73, respectively. He is a most audacious talent! I am predicting that, by 2025, Turbo will erase Usain Bolt’s 20.25 Champs Record in the 200m.
The top ten on the boys’ side was rounded out by Edwin Allen (65), Wolmers (60.5), Excelsior (57), Maggotty (46) and Cornwall College (31). The top ten on the girls’ side was rounded out by Wolmers (111), Immaculate (94), Excelsior (74.5), St. Elizabeth (45.5) and Mount Alvernia (39).
Henley E. Taylor
Freelance Sports Writer
Edited by Raymond Byfield
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