KINGSTON, Jamaica (March 29) – Bouwahjgie Nkrumie and Alana Reid both delivered record-breaking performances in the boys and girls Class One 100m Finals at the Champs 2023 held in Kingston, Jamaica on Wednesday night. Nkrumie made history at the Champiships, shattering his own Jamaica national junior record with a blistering time of 9.99 seconds to claim the Class One boys 100-meter gold medal.
The talented young sprinter from Kingston College, had set his sights on running under 10 seconds, and he achieved that goal in style by becoming the ninth man in history to achieve this feat in March. Read more: Record-Breaking: Nkrumie smashes boys 100m record with 10.08secs at Champs 2023
In addition to setting a new personal best time, the 19-year-old Nkrumie also became the third-fastest junior in history, an accomplishment that moved him to tears. “I have to be grateful knowing that my journey has been rough.
This was an emotional victory for me,” he said. “This race wasn’t executed 100% perfect,” he added. “But I am very grateful for a sub-10 seconds victory.”
Deandre Daley of Herbert Morrison clocked a personal best of 10.14 seconds for second place, with Jamaica College’s Jaiden Reid coming in third with a time of 10.26 seconds, also a personal best.
In the Class One girls’ 100m, Alana Reid of Hydel High put on a sizzling performance to win the gold medal, setting a new national junior record time of 10.92 seconds. Reid dominated her rivals in the final, running the fifth-fastest time ever recorded by a junior sprinter and smashing the previous Champs record of 11.13 seconds.
Alexis James of Petersfield High took home the silver medal with a time of 11.45 seconds, while Tonie-Ann Forbes of Edwin Allen High won the bronze medal with a time of 11.47 seconds.
Serena Cole, the World U20 silver medalist and one of the pre-championship favorites, suffered an injury in the semi-final and was unable to compete in the final.
In Class Three, defending champion Theianna-Lee Terrelonge of Edwin Allen High retained her title with a time of 11.49 seconds, defeating Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls and Poshanna-Lee Blake of St. Jago High.
In Class Four, Kayla Johnson of Immaculate Conception won the gold medal with a time of 11.97 seconds, leading her teammate Naje’ Brown, who also ran a personal best of 12.20 seconds, to the silver medal. Gabrielle Morgan of Hydel High took home the bronze medal with a time of 12.24 seconds.
In the Class Three boys’ final, Joshua Spence of Kingston College won the gold medal 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, just edging Tramaine Todd of STETHS, who finished with a time of 10.42 seconds.
