KINGSTON, Jamaica (March 29) – Jamaican sprinter Bouwahjgie Nkrumie has made history at the Jamaica Boys and Girls High School Championships on Wednesday night, after breaking his own national junior record with a stunning time of 9.99 seconds to win the Class One boys 100-meter gold medal.
The Kingston College sprinter had set a target of running under 10 seconds entering the championships, and he accomplished it in style by becoming the ninth man in history to achieve this feat.
Nkrumie, aged 19, is now the third-fastest junior in history, a remarkable achievement. “This was an emotional victory for me,” he said. “My journey has been rough, and I am grateful for a sub-10 seconds victory.”
Deandre Daley of Herbert Morrison came second with a personal best of 10.14 seconds, and Jamaica College’s Jaiden Reid took third place with a time of 10.26 seconds, also a personal best.
In the Class One girls’ 100m, Alana Reid of Hydel High won the gold medal, setting a new national junior record of 10.92 seconds. Reid dominated her opponents in the final, running the fifth-fastest time ever recorded by a junior sprinter and smashing the previous Champs record of 11.13 seconds.
Petersfield High’s Alexis James came second with a time of 11.45 seconds, while Edwin Allen High’s Tonie-Ann Forbes won the bronze medal with a time of 11.47 seconds.
Serena Cole, the World U20 silver medalist, who was one of the pre-championship favorites, suffered an injury in the semi-finals and was unable to compete in the final.
In Class Three, Edwin Allen High’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge retained her title with a time of 11.49 seconds, beating Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls and Poshanna-Lee Blake of St. Jago High.
Kayla Johnson of Immaculate Conception won the gold medal in Class Four with a time of 11.97 seconds, leading her teammate Naje’ Brown to the silver medal, who also ran a personal best of 12.20 seconds. Gabrielle Morgan of Hydel High took home the bronze medal with a time of 12.24 seconds.
Joshua Spence of Kingston College won the gold medal in the Class Three boys’ final with a time of 10.92 seconds, setting a new personal best. Malique Dennis of Jamaica College won the silver medal with a time of 11.01 seconds.
Abigail Wolfe of Holy Childhood High won the Class Two girls 100m with a time of 11.59 seconds, while Shaquane Gordon of Calabar High won the Class Two boys’ 100m with a time of 10.40 seconds, edging Tramaine Todd of STETHS, who finished with a time of 10.42 seconds.
