Nkrumie and Cole produce big efforts on opening day of "Champs 2023"

It was a dramatic end to Tuesday’s opening day of the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium as Steer Town Academy's Omarion Barrett was given a re-run in the Class 1 boys 100m.

Barrett was initially disqualified from his heat for a false start but reinstated after lodging a protest and was able to run 10.82 seconds which was fast enough for him to make progress to the semi-finals.

Earlier, national junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie qualified for the final with the fastest time of 10.51 seconds.

Jamaica College's Jaiden Reid with 10.52, Camperdown's Junior Harris 10.56, St. Elizabeth Technical's Javorne Dunkley 10.59 and Steer Town Academy's Tayshawn Barnes 10.60 seconds., round out the top five automatic qualifiers. Deandre Daley qualified 6th fastest with 10.65 seconds.

Meanwhile, over in the girls section, world Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen's was the fastest qualifier, clocking 11.57 seconds into a negative 1.5 metre per second wind.

Hydel’s Alana Reid also booked their places in the Class 1 girls final.

17 finals are scheduled for Wednesday's second day with the 100 metres for boys and girls to close the show.

The Class 1 girls discus throw which saw the meet record broken twice in the preliminaries by Cedricka Williams of Holmwood and then Abbigail Martin of St Jago, will also be decided on Wednesday.

In the field the boys long jump in Classes 1 and 2 will also have its medal round, while on the track the 1500 metres will also be decided.

The day begins with the 100 metres in the decathlon on the track and the long jump for Class 4 girls.