Track Ledger

10 May 2023

Changes to ISSA’s Rules

By Henley Taylor

Recently, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) voted to amend the rules that limit the participation of foreign nationals in the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boy’s and Girl’s Championship (Champs). The rules will require foreign nationals who are sixteen-years or older to sit out one year. However, the “sit out” rule will not apply to foreign nationals who are under the age of sixteen-years-old or students who are the children of diplomats or expatriates. Currently, there is a quota system for foreign nationals that allows for a maximum of two athletes per class. The question is, what has necessitated these amendments when there has been no obvious abuse of the system? In my mind, ISSA is now behaving like a retrograde association in trying to further limit the participation of foreign nationals at Champs, especially when the event is growing leaps and bounds in appeal, popularity, interest and marketability. No rational basis for rul....

10 May 2023

Velocity Fest # 13 – Selected highlights

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By Henley Taylor

There were some great performances at the Velocity Fest #13 Track Meet held on April 22, 2023 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The meet featured a blend of seasoned veterans like Shericka Jackson and Julian Forte and rising stars like Tia Clayton, Ackeem Blake, Kerrica Hill and Briana Williams. The Women’s 100m – Heats and Final The much anticipated women’s 100m final did not happen as was advertised. Belatedly, Tina Clayton, Jura Levy and Elaine Thompson-Herah withdrew from the event for reasons best known to them. There were a total of three heats. Heat 1 was won by Shericka Jackson in an almost effortless 11.05. Tia Clayton in 11.31 and Kasheika Cameron in 11.34, completed the top three automatic qualifiers. The wind speed was +0.8m/s. Heat 2 was won by Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas in a time of 11.30, while Sasha-Lee Forbes and Jonielle Smith were second and third, in 11.34 and 11.48, re....

02 May 2023

Three Emerging Talents in Focus (Hill, Grant and Alfred)

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By Henley Taylor

Kerrica Hill Debuts as a Senior in the 100m Hurdles World Under-20 100m hurdles champion, Kerrica Hill, debuts as a senior at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational Meet, on Saturday, April 15, 2023. In the preliminary round, Hill posted 12.68 (+2.8m/s) to secure third place behind Nia Ali and Danielle Williams as one of the automatic qualifiers. The final was star-studied, comprising some of the best technicians in the event. Eighteen-year-old Hill posted 12.86 (1.4m/s) to finish in fifth position, ahead of Crystal Morrison of Jamaica (12.87), Gabbi Cunningham of the US (13.03), Amber Hughes of the US (13.04) and Jade Barber of the US (13.13). The event was won by Nia Ali of the US in 12.53, while Tobi Amusan of Nigeria was second in 12.59 and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas was third in 12.64. Danielle Williams of Jamaica was fourth in 12.74. Hill, a junior (as she can still compete in the Under 20 category), who skipp....

28 April 2023

Assessing Thompson-Herah Performance at the 2023 Tom Jones Memorial Invitational

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By Henley Taylor

The 2023 edition of the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational Meet got under way on Friday, April 14, 2023. The Women’s 200m Olympic Development Meet that featured the reigning double-double Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was one of the featured events. Besides Thompson-Herah, the race also included three Americans, Melissa Jefferson, Felicia Brown Edwards and Maia McCoy, as well as, Bahraini Edidlong Odlong and Jamaican Junelle Bromfield. However, the results were not consistent with popular expectation as Thompson-Herah was chased and outrun by reigning US 200 champion Melissa Jefferson. Notwithstanding the unexpected outcome, I was not alarmed! Historically, Thompson-Herah’s trajectory leading up to the Jamaican National Trials and global Championships has never been the same as most elite athletes. There is usually a more methodic and gradual buildup to her season. Therefore, I will not be too harsh in my criticism of her opening 200m performance. N....

27 April 2023

The 2023 ISSA Grace Kennedy Boy’s and Girl’s Champs Recap

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By Henley Taylor

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 A....

28 April 2023

Review of the 50th Carifta Games

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By Henley Taylor

The 50th Carifta Games was held in Nassau, Bahamas at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium April 8 – 10, 2023. Much of the meet took place in wet weather conditions that presented some challenges for a number of athletes. While the meet delivered some high-quality performances, there was general consensus that the officiating was below par, especially for such an established Championship. Twenty-two countries participated in the 2023 edition of the Carifta Games. Of note, every country secured a medal of some colour. Jamaica was the highest placed team with 78 medals, while Haiti was the lowest placed team with 2 bronze medals. Jamaica tops the medal standings Predictably, Jamaica topped the medal table for an unprecedented thirty-seventh time, with a grand haul of 78 medals that included 40 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze. Relative to 2022, when Jamaica hosted these Games, Jamaica’s me....

17 April 2023

Asafa to Attend the UN's "Making a Difference Beyond the Game" in New York

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By Press Release

New York, NY - As the world celebrates the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), the United Nations is organizing an event "Making a Difference Beyond the Game" at the Turkish House, 821 First Ave, New York from 3-5 pm on April 6th to recognize the positive role sport and physical activity plays in the lives of individuals and communities across the globe. Asafa Powell, Olympian, former world record holder, and sprint legend will be a specially invited guest at the event. Asafa Powell is considered one of the greatest sprinters of all time, having won numerous medals and accolades throughout his illustrious career. He has competed in three Olympic Games and won numerous Olympic and World Championship medals throughout his career. Powell held the world record in the 100m from 2005 to 2008 and has a personal best of 9.72 seconds, and is still the fourth-fastest man in history over that distance. He has also been a strong advocate for the pos....

18 March 2023

How good is Bouwahjgie Nkrumie?

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By Henley Taylor

National Junior Record Holder and World Under 20 Championship silver medalist, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College posted an easy 10.30 second, to win the Boy’s 100m timed final at the Youngster Goldsmith Meet that was held at the National Stadium on February 11, 2023. Nkrumie, who turned nineteen-years-old on Thursday, February 16, 2023, has a lifetime best of 10.02 in the 100m, a time that he posted at the World Junior Championship in Cali, Colombia, last year. Based on early season performances, Nkrumie is likely to go faster than 10.02. Nkrumie may become the first schoolboy to dip below 10 seconds when he competes at the ISSA Boy’s and Girl’s Championship that will take place between March 28 and April 1, 2023 at the National Stadium in Kingston. The competition Nkrumie’s main competitions are expected to come from Brian Level of Edwin Allen and Deandre Dailey of Herbert Morrison Technical High School, both of whom....

18 March 2023

KC and Excelsior are 2023 Corporate Area Champions

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By Henley Taylor

Kingston College (KC) and Excelsior High School retained their respective boy’s and girl’s titles for the Corporate Area Championship that was held over two days on March 3 and 4 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. Interestingly, Kingston College and Excelsior High School won their respective Corporate Area boy’s and girl’s titles for the fifth and seventh consecutive times, respectively. Notwithstanding injuries suffered by quite a few athletes, Kingston College was able to defend with 427 points, to top Calabar High and Jamaica College that finished on 415 points and 389.5 points, respectively. The other schools to complete the top ten on the boy’s side, were: Wolmers Boys (121 points), Excelsior High School (106 points), St. Georges College (79.5 points), Camperdown High School (55 points), Campion College (29 points), Ardenne High (15 points) and Holy Trinity High (10 points). On the girl’s side, Excelsior scored ....

18 March 2023

Ackera Nugent in Perspective

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By Henley E. Taylor

Who is Ackera Nugent? Just how good is Ackera Nugent? What are the credentials that she boasts? Ackera Nugent is a Jamaican female 100m Hurdler. She is a model of focus, intensity, great technique and versatility. Nugent is formerly of Excelsior High School where she was a Champs star in the event. The talented Jamaican was also the 2019 Carifta Champion, 2021 World Under 20 Champion and 2021 NACAC Under 20 Champion. Nugent is too, the 2023 NCAA Champion and National Record Holder in the Indoor 60mH, having eclipsed the mark of 7.74 that was set by countrywoman, Michelle Freeman in 1996, twenty-seven years ago. Thus far, Nugent has a Personal Best of 12.45 in the 100m Hurdles that she set in Texas in 2022, and 7.72 in the 60m Hurdles that she set at the 2023 NCAA Championship in semi-final round. Nugent is currently in her sophomore year at the University of Arkansas. She is fast Interestingly, the twenty-year-old is a genuine sprinter ....