KINGSTON, Jamaica, (March 24) – Romario Finnigan of Edwin Allen High and Holland High’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe and Shanoya Douglas were among the leading qualifiers from Tuesday’s Class One 100 metres heats at the 2026 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships (Champs 2026) at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Finnigan produced the standout performance of the opening day, clocking a personal best 10.18 seconds (1.5m/s) to win his heat comfortably. The time posted by the talented 18-year-old marked a significant improvement on his 10.52 from last season.
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Smythe also looked sharp with 10.24 (1.0m/s), the second-fastest legal run of the day, while Edwin Allen’s Kenrick Austin posted 10.27 with a 2.3m/s tailwind. Excelsior’s Malike Nugent (10.27, 2.1m/s), St. Mary Technical’s Kenrick Sharpe (10.31, 1.1m/s), and Excelsior’s Riquelme Reid (10.32, 1.8m/s), the Carifta Trials winner, also advanced comfortably to Wednesday’s semifinal round.
On the girls’ side, Holland High’s Shanoya Douglas – the 2024 World U20 200m silver medallist – advanced with ease after posting 11.85 seconds to win her heat. Her controlled run was the fourth-fastest of the round as she conserved energy for the upcoming semifinal and final.
Hydel High’s Shemonique Hazle led all qualifiers with a wind-assisted 11.44 (2.3m/s), ahead of Penwood High’s Shakeya Reid (11.67). Edwin Allen’s Renecia Edwards (11.79) and teammate Alexxe Henry (11.94) also moved through.
The Class One 100m semifinals are scheduled to begin on Wednesday at 6:51 p.m. and 7:06 p.m. EDT.
