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Wire-to-wire victory brings KC perfect 100th anniversary gift
March 31, 2025
Many pundits predicted a close finish between Kingston College (KC), Calabar High School and Jamaica College (JC) for the male title at the 2025 ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships.
However, the North Street team, motivated by their school's 100th-anniversary celebrations, romped to an overwhelming victory. They outscored their nearest rivals, Calabar, by over 64 points, amassing 293 points, with Calabar second on 229.25 and JC far behind in third place with 207 points.
It was a wire-to-wire victory for the defending champions, marking their fourth consecutive title and 36th overall.
KC made their intentions clear from the start and by the end of the second day they had raced into an 18-point lead over JC, scoring 47 points compared to the latter's 29, with Calabar sixth on 22.
From that point it was a case of "catch me if you can" for KC and spurred on by their large throng of supporters, they turned up the heat. With JC struggling, what was expected to be a three-way fight quickly became a two-team battle, with Calabar staying within striking distance until the final day.
In the opening events, the sprint hurdle finals, Calabar made a strong push. After witnessing Shaquane Gordon upset favourite Daniel Clarke to win the Class One 110m hurdles, Calabar's supporters held onto hope for a comeback.
However, KC remained in full control, thanks to dominant performances, particularly in the field events.
Leading the way for the North Street team was Class Two jumper Amani Phillips, who delivered a standout performance. He secured the long jump title on the second day with a leap of 7.15 metres, before shattering records in the triple jump on the final day with a mark of 15.66m.
On the track, Brian Kiprop provided another major boost for KC, upsetting St Jago High's Ryan Achau in the Class One 1500m. Despite being the defending champion, Kiprop was not the favourite, as fellow Kenyan Achau had been in top form all season.
But Kiprop remained composed, watching Achau go out surprisingly fast before fading to a walk, ultimately securing victory in 3:55.24.
Kiprop then joined Phillips as a double winner, comfortably taking the Open Steeplechase in 5:56.72.
Kingston College also dominated the 400 metres, securing two crucial wins on Thursday and building momentum heading into the penultimate day of competition. Jason Pitter set the tone with victory in the Class Two 400m, clocking 47.92 seconds. Then, in the Class One final, teammates Tajh Marques Whyte and defending champion Marcinho Rose thrilled the crowd with a stunning 1-2 finish, both dipping under 46 seconds. Whyte won in 45.84, with Rose close behind in 45.90.
Both athletes then teamed up for the final event of the meet, the Open 4x400m relay, delivering a grand finale for their fans. Their victory in 3:07.46 was a fitting send-off for head coach Leaford Grant in his final year at the helm -- a perfect 100th-anniversary gift for KC.
