Denbigh quarter-miler wants to shift school’s focus

DENBIGH HIGH School is renowned for its netball dominance in ISSA competitions, excelling at the under-14, under-16, and under-19 levels. However, quarter-miler Chanton White is determined to shift some of that attention to track and field. He aims to use his performances this season and beyond to elevate the sport’s profile at the institution.

Competing in his second year in Class 2 and his third year representing the school in track and field, White has had a dream start to the season.

Last month at the Central Hurdles and Relays meet, he stormed to victory in his event with a personal best of 49.91 seconds, emerging as the top performer in the event.

Proving that the win was no fluke, White delivered his best-ever performance at the recent Central Athletics Championships, clocking a new personal best 48.90, missing the meet record by just one-thousandth of a second. His gold medal in the event marked his first-ever championship silverware at the high-school level. His winning time currently ranks him fourth in the class this season, with St Jago’s Rushane Richards leading at 47.91 seconds.

IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE

White also contributed to Denbigh’s impressive relay performance, teaming up with Kingsley Hanson, Rayvon Black, and Q-Jay Lewis to finish second in the Class 2 4x100-metre relay. Their time of 42.88 seconds was a new school record, trailing winners Edwin Allen, who clocked 42.23 seconds.

Black also secured a bronze medal in the Class 2 100 metres, marking Denbigh’s best-ever performance at the Central Championships.

Confident in his ability to run even faster, White is hopeful that track and field will gain more recognition at Denbigh.

“I am very proud of my performances so far this season, and I feel great. The plan is to run much faster and show that it’s not all about netball,” said White.

As he prepares for the ISSA Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, White is aware that his strong performances have made him a target for rivals but remains unfazed.

“I know I’ll be targeted, but I won’t be intimidated. I just want to keep improving and winning,” he stated.

With Denbigh losing two top athletes to Hydel and Camperdown High at the start of the season, White was asked whether he would transfer if recruited by a bigger team. He was unwavering in his response.

“My plan is to stay at Denbigh, lay a strong foundation, and inspire others to take up the sport.”