Campbell leads the way as Hydel get three wins at East Coast meet

BALTIMORE, Maryland:

Hydel High’s girls, led by Abigail Campbell, registered three wins at the Puma East Coast International Showcase in Maryland on Saturday.

In a very competitive 400m event, Campbell, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) Class One champion, showed guts and determination to outduel Sophie Rambo of Grassfield High, Virginia, in the final 80 metres to win the event in 52.59 seconds. Rambo finished second in 52.96, while Campbell’s teammate Nastassia Fletcher – the Champs Class Two champion – was third in 53.58. Holmwood Technical’s Abrina Wright finished fourth in 53.87.

Campbell was, overall, Jamaica best performer at the meet. After winning the 400m, she finished third overall in the 200m in 23.75. Her teammate, Sashana Johnson, was second-best after winning her heat in 23.57. Elise Cooper of McDonough High, Maryland, topped the event after winning her heat in 22.77.

Hydel’s two other wins came in the field, courtesy of Sabrina Atkinson in the triple jump and Natassia Burrell in the shot put. Atkinson’s winning mark in the triple jump was 12.25m, with Chayse Mitchell of Archbishop Carroll High second at 12.06m. Burrell’s winning throw in the shot put was 14.23m, as Christella Leukeu of Springbrook High School placed second with 13.13m.

Shania Grant also gave Hydel High a top-three finish in the 1600m Open after placing third in 5:39.21. Matea Moreno of South County High School won in 5:20.21.

Holmwood Technical had three top podium finishes among the girls through sisters Cindy and Jovi Rose and sprint hurdler Kiara Meikle. Cindy placed second in the 800m in 2:11.22, and Jovi was third in 2:16.40. Neenah Trusty of Friends’ Central won the event in 2:08.48.

Meikle, the Champs Class One silver medallist in the 100m hurdles, finished third in the event in 13.62 seconds. Taylor Cox of Union Catholic High won in 13.35, ahead of Kassidy Hopkins of Bullis High, who also clocked 13.62. Hydel’s Jody-Ann Daley, the Class One gold medallist at Champs, failed to show for the final. Daley finished second in her heat in 13.88 but showed signs of a leg injury after crossing the finish line.

Hydel’s Shemoniqe Hazle (11.62) and Holmwood’s Doniella Lewis (11.70) placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the High School Girls’ Championships 100m, which was won by Ryan Jennings of Timber Creek High School in 11.35.

Among the males, Excelsior High stood out with wins by Ricardo Carr in the 800m, Kishawn Hoffman in the 400m hurdles, and their 4x100m team.

Carr captured the two-lap event in 1:53.81, while Hoffman clocked 52.58 to win the 400m hurdles. The 4x100m quartet of James Harrison, Riquelme Reid, Ryeem Walker, and Hoffman clocked 40.71 for the win.

There was a major upset in the Boys’ High School Invitational 400m, as Olympian Quincy Wilson of Bullis High suffered a rare loss. Coming off his standout performance in the Penn Relays 4x400m – where he ran a record 43.99 seconds split – Wilson had to settle for second in 45.45, as Jayden Horton Mims of Centre of Education in Philadelphia took the win in 45.24.