St Catherine leads day one at 41st JTA Sagicor national primary athletics championships

The 41st staging of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association and Sagicor National Athletics Championships opened on Friday, 26 June 2026, at the National Stadium in Kingston, with 1,120 athletes from all 14 parishes contesting heats across track and field.

Defending parish champions St Catherine moved to the front of the team standings as results built through the afternoon. After several scored events, St Catherine led on 43 points, with St Elizabeth on 24 and St Thomas also on 24. St Andrew, Portland, St Ann, Manchester and Hanover followed. Last year’s title race had been decided by less than two points, with St Catherine finishing on 270.83 and St Andrew on 269.

On the track, early boys’ open 100m heats produced sub-13-second marks. Dean Holding of Kingston won his section in 12.92, level with Marian Finnegan of St Ann, while Rashan Smith of St Andrew clocked 12.95. Rashan Mloud of St Andrew later took a heat in 13.04 with a -3.6 wind.

Among the under-13 girls’ 400m qualifiers, De Janelle Brooks of St Catherine ran 1:03.37 and Rihanna Johnson of St Andrew 1:03.99. In the under-13 boys’ 400m, Odane Gordon of Westmoreland won in 58.16, Joshua Atkinson of St Andrew ran 58.39, and Joshua Williams of St Catherine posted 59.61.

Under-15 boys’ 200m heats produced a strong crop for Saturday’s finals, including Rashane Mloud of St Andrew in 25.71 and Rashane Smith of St Andrew in 26.12. In the girls’ open 800m, Trevanique Breaking Ridge of St Andrew won her heat in 2:34.61, a personal best, while Chris A Kennedy of Portland took another section in 2:34.36. Jamar Amos of St Catherine won the opening boys’ open 800m heat in 2:22.38.

Sprint medley qualification closed day one. St Catherine won the girls’ second heat in 1:59.76, while Manchester took the boys’ final section in 4:31.88 and St Andrew won the opening boys’ heat in 4:33.56.

Organisers said competition began on schedule, with finals set for day two. Sagicor Group Jamaica, marking 40 years of support, said it had invested more than $16 million in this year’s meet. Megan Edwards, the company’s corporate social responsibility lead, said the event remained a foundation for young athletes. JTA National Sports Committee chairman Winston Robinson said the championships also offered pathways to scholarships and wider opportunity for student athletes.

This year’s patron is national under-20 sprint double champion Shanoya Douglas. She spent the day meeting young competitors and said she was encouraged by the standard on show. “Come bring the energy, keep hydrated, be motivated, be yourself,” she told athletes preparing for Saturday’s finals. “Just believe and trust Jesus and pray, pray, pray and just come out here and shell it down.”

A first-time inclusive race for 32 student athletes with intellectual disabilities is scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m., alongside the parade of athletes and prep-school invitational events. Live results from the meet are available on the Roster Athletics app.