Going the distance for the title - KC celebrate Champs success

Kingston College enjoyed many surprises at the 2019 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, but one of the most outstanding areas in terms of performances, came in the 800 metres.

The North Street-based institution tallied 28 points from a possible 48 across all three classes in the event, representing a major improvement in that discipline compared to previous years. In 2018, the 'Purples' only managed 12 points in the 800m at Champs, while 2017 saw 16 points being won in the two-lap event.

This turnaround played a major role in the school reclaiming the Mortimer Geddes trophy, a feat they had not managed since 2009, as they marched to their 32nd hold on the boys' title.

In the end, KC piled up a mammoth 395.50 points - the most in championships history, with Calabar, 313, finishing second. Jamaica College, 232.50; St Jago. 106.50 and St Elizabeth Technical, 90, were the top-five finishers in the boys' section.

At a low-keyed celebration at the school's North Street campus yesterday, Class Two champion, Giovouni Henry, paid homage to middle distance coach Hamlin Pagan, who he credited for the team's impressive returns in the 800m event.

"We have a really good coach in Mr Pagan. He worked with us really hard and we are happy we have a coach like him," he said during yesterday's title celebration at the institution's North Street campus.

Henry shocked pre-race favourite J'Vouhnn Blake of Jamaica College to win the Class Two 800m in 1:52.10.

His twin brother, Gianni, finished fifth in 1:57.60.

Despite many considering the result a solid upset at the championships, Giovouni said he expected to top the podium, given the work and results he was seeing in training during the build up to the event.

"I wasn't shocked because I knew I had in me so I just came out there and do it. The past few weeks of training, I was working really hard," he said.

FIREWORKS

But it was Jaquan Coke, the Class Three half-miler, who started the fireworks.

Coke chased down Bellefield High School's Tavaughn Martin, who came into the Championships expecting to break Waqar DaCosta's 12-year-old mark of 1:58.06, to win the race in 1:58.50.

"When I came out there on Saturday and saw my teammate (Coke) win the Class Three final, I was really motivated and I said that if he can do it then we can do it as well," Henry explained.

The magic continued in Class One as team captain Tarees Rhoden delivered an inspired performance to win a bronze medal in what has become the fastest 800m in Champs history. Rhoden registered a personal best of 1.49.04 to finish behind new record holder Kimar Farquharson (Calabar), 1:48.67 and Enid Bennett's Tyrice Taylor, 1:48.91.

The KC faithful are planning to stage a more deserving celebration later this week in anticipation of a victory in today's TVJ Schools' Challenge Quiz final against St Jago.