KINGSTON, Jamaica – Defending champions Windward Road won the INSPORTS All-Age & Junior High Athletic Championships for the third consecutive year as the curtains came down on the 38th edition at the National Stadium East Field on Friday (15 April).
The Oral Whilby-conditioned unit, entered the final day deadlock with arch rivals John Mills, but romped home on a canter to win by 105 points having amassed 562.5 points.
John Mills, who had their 19-year dynasty ended by Windward Road in 2014, was second with 457.5 points followed by 1994 champions New Day (190), Melrose (183.5) and Louise Bennett-Coverley (169) to round off the top-five positions.
While no records were broken on the final, spectators were brought to their feet witnessing a rare moment in track and field history when a tie was recorded in the Class 1 boys 4x100m relays.
Both anchor runners for John Mills and Windward Road crossed the finish line in 46.87 seconds and could not be separated after a lengthy and thorough analysis. Swallowfield was third in 48.00 seconds.
By that time though, Windward Road had opened up a 53-point gap on John Mills, who were leading by three points after the completion of the Class 2 boys 100m final. From then onwards it was all Windward Road, winning at least 50 per cent of the 40 contested finals on the final day.
Like in the last two previous championships Windward Road were very dominant in the lower classes, while John Mills were found wanting yet again, failing to even field a contestant in some instances.
Twelve-year-old Shakeem Robinson of Central Branch amassed 21 points – the most by any athlete on the male side at these championships after adding the Class 4 boys 400m title.
Kevin Wilson of John Mills along with teammates Nemoy Cockett and Jahiem Gilmore, were among the outstanding performers, with the former winning the Class 1 boys 100m in 12.03 seconds. Wilson finished way ahead of Braeton’s Shevioe Reid, who copped the silver in 12.36 and Dimel Coleman (12.38) of Melrose.
Class 1 athlete Janealia Brown of Windward Road was one of the top performers overall on the girl side, as was the Green Park duo of Leanna Lewis and Shantonique McCalla, both of whom earned 18 points each in helping the Clarendon outfit to thirteenth in the points table.
