BOLT STEALS THE SHOW(and this report) Munro College Track and Field performed its last relay event for the 2008 season at the Jamaica International Invitational last night at the National Stadium. We fielded a team of Andrene "Petrol" Nelson, Shawn Manboard, Jodirae Blackwood and Rolando "Midnight" Reid in the High School Boys 4x400m and finished 4th in a time of 3:19:32. We commend the team and coaches on a much improved season and wish them the best for 2009 and beyond.
And now for the thunder. Usain Bolt dropped a 9.76 (1.8w) over 100m last night and squarely captured the hearts and minds of a nationalistic Jamaican crowd. It was a performance that left the casual fan elated and the sport's "intelligencia" awe struck. With Asafa Powell sustaining a disturbing early season injury many were left to believe that a particular US sprinter would canter his way through to the gold medal at the Olympic Games later this August. Young Bolt, 21, has quite possibly put that nervous theory to rest. We sincerely hope that Asafa bounces back to full-fitness to face Bolt at this year's trials and the world in Beijing.
THE MYTH BREAKER
Needless to say that this recent phenomenon bodes well for our national sprint relay team as well. We now have the deepest national pool in years, perhaps ever, with Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Michael Frater, Marvin Anderson, Steve Mullings, Nesta Carter, Dwight Thomas, Chris Williams and Clement Campbell all running 10.1x or better. With a group like this one might eschew desire of the August flat final for the one in late June right here at the Stadium. It should be the best National Trials ever.
It was good for the young Munronians to witness such a feat from one of their very own from Western Jamaica. Bolt, the former William Knibb athlete, continues to perpetuate the sport's maxim of "speed begets speed and excellence begets excellence". What the young ones see, the young ones do and will eventually do better. Both Rolando "Midnight" Reid and Adam "Redz" Cummings were in the stadium last night. Reid won last year's Class III 100m final and Cummings this year's in a record time of 10.91. Both should have been duly inspired. On a similar note, Omar Bryan, recent discus bronze medalist at the Penn Relays, performed the role of "Measuring Official" during the shot put event won by national record holder Dorian Scott (20.51m).
Back Row (L-R) Richard Wilson (Coach), Omar Bryan, Shawnterry Manboard, Jodirae Blackwood, Andrene Nelson (Head Prefect), Moses Watkis, Steve Cole (Coach); Front Row (L-R) Adam Cummings, Erroll Davis; Absent - Rolando Reid (US Embassy)
A ten man delegation from Munro College Track and Field will leave the Donald Sangster International Airport today for Philadelphia. Included in that number are:
Athletes Jodirae Blackwood (4x100 & 4x400m - ran 48.4 at Champs) Omar Bryan (Discus - Current CAC U-17 Record Holder) Adam Cummings (Rewarded for winning National CIII 100m title in record time of 10.91 - not competing) Erroll Davis (4x400m - 2nd Yr CII - 1:56.9h over 800m) Shawnterry Manboard (4x100 & 4x400m - 10.7h and 50.4h) Andrene Nelson (4x100m & 4x400m - Head Prefect - Relay Animal 49.1 over 400m) Rolando Reid (4x100m & 4x400m - 10.6h - '07 CIII 100m Champ) Moses Watkis (4x100m & TJ - 10.7h - D'Cup Striker and National U-20 Invitee)
Coaches Richard Wilson Steve Cole
We wish them all the best and thank everyone that helped make this trip possible. The guys looked good at the Penn Camp held this past weekend at Stadium East. Second leg man on the mile relay team, Jodi-Rae Blackwood, had the flu and was rested. Other than that all went well with Nelson and Reid clocking 49.1 and 49.4 over 400m in a 90% time trial. Omar Bryan threw for a few hours by the St. Hugh's field with Dr. Jones, Michael Vassell and Rory Marsh. He left with a best of 51.50m that would have put him 5th in last year's competition.
I will try and keep everyone updated on how things are going for the fellows over the weekend. In the meantime feel free to browse the Flotrack Video site at the end of each day for videos of every race. A link to the results can also be found below.
The quest to greatness continues. Champs 2008 is now over and it has been our best performance for many years. We are firmly on our way back to prominence and beyond. Before I get to some outstanding details let me thank the coaching staff for a job well done. Head Coach Richard Wilson has brought tremendous energy to the process since last September and has yielded successful results. Coach Cole came over in January after the football season and helped sharpen the hurdlers and senior sprinters. The evergreen Dr. Gwyn Jones guided the jumpers and throwers to a stellar season that gave the entire team the confidence to roll into this meet and move to 6th position from 21st four years ago. Congrats to them all.
Now to the Outstanding results. Class III 100m Champion Adam "Reds" Cummings broke the 6-yr old event record by a full 8/100th of a second. He posted a time of 10.91 in a performance that one could perhaps only see when visualizing "the perfect race". Coming into the final as the projected runner-up Cummings stamped his class within the first five metres by literally stepping on the rest of the field with a rocket start and an instant two metre lead. He moved this lead to almost five metres before the favourite, Bridgeport's Jazeel Murphy, closed slightly with 60 to go. Cummings responded, stepped away and sprinted tall to the finish and the roar of the stadium crowd who seem to have adopted the copper-topped kid on sight. If you've ever been to Champs then you'll know everyone in the stands in an expert analyst. Post race comments rang out from "Big Horse!!! Im likkle but a big horse dat iyah", "mi did ah tell yu a seh a di copper a tek it", "my yute done im from di gun starrr". Well "my yute" is really the son of our own Bryan "Lippy" Cummings who might have visualized this race himself 14-yrs ago when Adam was born. To top it off, Adam was awarded the trophy for "Most Outstanding Male Athlete". Congrats to both Adam and Bryan.
Last year's Class III 100m Champion Rolando "Midnight" Reid was never tipped by the pundits to win in his 1st year of Class II. He missed the title by less than 1/100th of a second in a photo finish that was a throwback to McKenley's 100m in 1952. The photo-meisters deliberated for quite a while and accurately rebuffed an official protest to give Reid a time of 10.83 seconds behind 2nd-yr man Earl Lee's 10.82. Both athlete's will represent Jamaica in this week's Carifta Games. Reid, running from lane 8, emerged from the blocks behind the field and clawed his way back into the medals and what looked like a win by dipping hard at the line. While his head crossed the line before Earl Lee's torso the photo shows his shoulder and chest were only but a very slight sliver away. Reid is a true warrior in every sense of the word. He never gives up and gives it his all in every final that he steps to the line. He also ran from lane 8 in the 200m final and took the bronze there. Congrats Midnight, you're a true leader.
Rajae "Flaja" Gayle, our second Carifta selection, stepped in the ring for the Class II Discus and clutched a bronze medal with his penultimate throw. He took 5th in the Shot Put final.
Congratulations must go out to all three of our medal winners, Rajae Gayle, Adam Cummings and Rolando Reid.
There were other very notable performances that carried us to our 61 point tally. Erroll "Solli" Davis was a double scorer in the Class II 800 and 1500m finals. Davis, who has nursed a hamstring injury for the greater part of the season displayed great valour in putting together two excellent races to take 6th in the 1500m and 4th in the 800m. Davis won the bronze in the Class III 800m in 2006.
The feather-light first year Class II hurdler Patrick Campbell battled a 3.3m/s headwind to take 6th in the 110mH final.
Class I throwers Razzack White and Omar Bryan took 6th in the discus and 5th in the shot respectively. Head Prefect, Andrene Nelson, made the 400mH final but succumbed to a hamstring strain and finished 8th. The Class II sprint relay quartet of Rasheem Eccleston, Tashane "Champs" Bromfield, Patrick Campbell and Rolando Reid, clocked a season's best of 43.01 to finish in 6th place.
All in all MC Track and Field had a very good meet and sit on the threshold of the big five. When the strategy was laid out this is exactly where we were projected to be in 2008. It has come from the support of the school's administration, dedicated past students and hard work and diligence on the part of the students and coaches.
Congrats to the team. Let's support our two Carifta charges this week and those on the move towards the Penn Relays in late April.
Best Regards, Brando Hayden Team Manager
Class III 100m Final - Adam Cummings Breaks Record
Class II 100m Final - First Year II Rolando Reid Takes Silver
(1) CALABAR HIGH SCHOOL 277.50 (2) KINGSTON COLLEGE 233 (3) ST. JAGO HIGH 155.50 (4) JAMAICA COLLEGE 153 (5) WOLMERS' BOYS SCHOOL 128(6) MUNRO COLLEGE 61 (7) HERBERT MORRISON TECH. 47 (8) BRIDGEPORT HIGH 42 (9) ST. GEORGE'S COLLEGE 37 (10) HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL 34
Munro carried a small group of ten to the trials for this year's Carifta Games which are to be held in St. Kitts, March 22 - 24. Double Western Champs gold medalist and record holder, Rajae Gayle had a good showing in the U-17 shot with a throw of 14.18m for 2nd place. He followed that up with a 4th place finish in the discus with a best throw of 43.36m. Rolando Reid, also in the U-17 category, sped to 10.95 to take 2nd place in the 100m and 22.08 for third in the 200m (Above: Reid dips for 2nd in the 100m).
Other Highlights:
U-19 Discus Omar Bryan - 46.19m Razzack White - 44.47m
Shot Put Omar Bryan - 14.88m
Triple Jump Moses Watkis - 13.65m
U-17 100m Rolando Reid - 10.95 Adam Cummings - 11.31 (11.04 in heats)
STETHS 2008 lived up to it's billing. We had strong performances across the board with personal bests set in many events. Our sister school Hampton also used the meet to stage their entrance back into competitive Track and Field. We have welcomed them with open arms as the girls have been training at Munro for the greater part of a month now.
The highlights for us came from Head-Prefect Petrol Nelson, Captain Spotty Stephens , Rajae Gayle, Rolando Reid, Adam Cummings (above) and the much improved Champs Bromfield who should break the 11-sec barrier for the first time this season. Please see selected results below. LINK - ALL RESULTS http://mctnf.drivehq.com/RESULTS - STETHS 2008.xls
We do not believe Munro has ever missed a year at Kirkvine. 2008 marked the 22nd year the event has been run and it continues to be a favourite among fans and athletes alike. The team achieved 6 "A" standard qualifiers and 5 "B" standard qualifiers.
Again Rolando "Midnight" Reid (above) continued to impress with a very relaxed 22.8 clocking in the CII 200m for 2nd place overall in a time trial format. Adam Cummings recorded 24.0 to finish 2nd in the CIII 200m as well.
BOLT STEALS THE SHOW (and this report)
