By Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
Anderson... A triple winner. - Paul A. Reid
WESTERN BUREAU:
MUNRO COLLEGE dethroned Cornwall College as the boys' Western athletics champions and St. Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) predictably ran away with the girls' title as the event ended at Cornwall College on Tuesday.
Both St. Elizabeth schools led coming into the final day after the eliminations that were held last week. The championships were held over three days for the first time and despite a late start, finished on time.
Munro amassed 328 points as Cornwall lost valuable points throughout the day including not finishing the Class One 4x100m event in which they were the defending champions and favourites.
Cornwall finished second with 284 points while Herbert Morrison Technical (244), Mannings (202) and former champions St. Elizabeth Technical (180) rounded out the top five.
STETHS did not pile up the more than 400 points they did last year but were still efficient in scoring 375 points to record their fourth straight win.
Mannings were second with Mt. Alvernia finishing in a surprise third place with 186 points. Herbert Morrison slipped to fourth with 183 while Lewisville in only their second year in the competition was fifth with 165.
The meet ended on a sour note for the boys champions as despite the meet being hosted by Cornwall College, the trophy was not available for presentation. It was learned that the trophy was locked in the Principal's office who had left by then.
There were three triple winners in the championships - Mannings' School's Draion McCain who was also the Class Four Boys champion; Nickiesha Anderson of Herbert Morrison who retained the Girls Class Two sprint double and also added the 400m event and Munro College's Orane Whyte who won the Class Three sprint double and the 100m hurdles.
Cornwall College's Nyron McLaughlin, who scored 28 points, was the Class Three and overall Champion Boy; Hicel Woolery of Mannings took the Class Two honours with 19 points while STETHS' Keneek Williams won the Class One title with 18 points.
Herbert Morrison's Anderson and STETHS' Class One athlete Andrea Smythe who both scored 27 points shared the Girls' Overall title while Mt. Alvernia's Jodian Walker won the Class Four honours and Herbert Morrison Technical's Nandy Levy was the Class Three winner.
In addition to Anderson and Whyte, Montego Bay High School's Londi-Kaye Spence was a sprint double champion as she copped the Class Three titles.
William Knibb's Usain Bolt was an easy winner in the Boys Class Two 200m/400m double in times of 21.5 seconds and 50.9 seconds. Cornwall College's Keith Spence who won the 100m was second in the 200m while Mannings' Terrence Fenton was second in the 400m.
Mannings athletes captured both Class Four sprint doubles as McCain won the Boys' and Francine Blagrove took the Girls' while Herbert Morrison's Randy Gooden won the Boys Class One sprint hurdles and the 400m hurdles.
STETHS, who won five of the six girls relays last year, had to settle for just three wins, taking the Classes One and Three 4x100s and the 4x400m. Mt Alvernia won the Class Four event and Herbert Morrison the Class Two while Westwood won the Sprint Medley, their only win of the championships.
Boys' final points standings: Munro 328, Cornwall 284, Herbert Morrison 244, Mannings 202, STETHS 180, Green Island 92, Lewisville 87, William Knibb 84, Cedric Titus 46, Grange Hill & Cambridge 43, Rusea's 31, Little London 22, St James 7, Balaclava 3, Merlene Ottey 2, Maggotty 1, Lacovia 0.
Girls' final points standings: STETHS 375, Mannings 213, Mt. Alvernia 186, Herbert Morrison 183, Lewisville 165, Grange Hill 93, MoBay High 86, William Knibb 63, Westwood 37, Green Island, Lacovia and Cambridge 20, Little London 18, Cedric Titus 16, St. James High 12, Merlene Ottey 9, Rusea's 7, Maggoty and Balaclava 3.
