KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Class One boys 100 metres at Champs 2019 is shaping up to be a cracker after fascinating exhibitions by Calabar sprinters in the semi-finals on Friday.
Oblique Seville and Michael Stephens of Calabar stopped the clock in the fastest times from the semis and paved the way for a possible 1-2 finish later tonight in the medal race.
Seville, clearly the unexpected talent thus far for the defending champions at the championships, backed up his 10.32 seconds performance in the preliminaries with a 10.36 secs marker to win the opening semi-final.
The former Holmwood Technical sprinter dusted off the challenge from Jamaica College’s Michali Everett, who also earned a spot in the final with a time of 10.48.
Meanwhile, Stephens, who has raced sparingly this season, has been running himself into fine form, winning his semi-final in 10.41 seconds and doing so with a lot more left in the tank.
Stephens failed to finish the event last season after he sustained a muscle injury in the final.
Another man to look out for in tonight’s final is Ryiem Robertson of Jamaica College, the winner of the second semi-final in 10.59. He shared the same time with Maurice Thompson of Papine High.
Interestingly, though, Robertson seemed to have been in some discomfort after he crossed the line, so we will have to keep an eye on those developments throughout the championships.
Making up the rest of the field are Conroy Jones of STETHS (10.42), Xavier Nairne of Wolmer’s (10.43) and St. Jago’s Javari Thomas (10.48).
Rajay Morris of Clarendon College, who ran by himself to earn a place in the semis on Thursday night, wasn’t as thriving with others around him after he could only manage 10.73 for fourth place in Robertson’s semi-final heat.
In the Class Two event, Vashaun Vascianna of St. Jago High was quite impressive when stopping the clock at 10.61 to take the first semi-final.
Joining the St. Jago star sprinter in tonight’s final are Terrique Stennett of Kingston College, the winner of the second semis in 10.68, as well as another KC man, Bouwahjgie Nkrumi, who took the third heat in 10.71.
Nkrumi won the Class Three gold medal list year.
Defending champions Calabar managed to squeeze through after running in the final, after Dishaun Lamb battled to 10.87 seconds to finish third behind Stennett in his hear.
Elsewhere, Christopher Scott of Jamaica College is the Class Three boys 100m, posting an unchallenged 10.88 to win his semis.