Brian Kiprop and Rickeisha Simms claim victory in Class 1 1500m titles at Champs 2024.

Kenyan athlete Brian Kiprop from Kingston College (KC) secured back-to-back gold medals at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships by winning the Boys’ Class One 1500m final. He faced a tough challenge from Jamaica College’s Kemarrio Bygrave but managed to hold on and finish first with a time of 3:56.81. This victory comes just a year after Kiprop won the Class Two title. Bygrave came in second with a time of 3:57.34, while Barrain Smith from St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) took third place in 3:59.08. Kiprop’s teammate Eltham Gioko, the top-ranked competitor, finished in fifth place after leading for most of the race.

In another event, Jamaica College’s Samuel Creary surprised Kingston College’s Nahashon Ruto to win the Boys’ Class Two 1500m final. Creary, ranked 21st in the class, made a strong comeback to finish first in 4:04.01, narrowly beating Ruto who clocked 4:04.03. Raheem Palmer from Alphansus Davis High secured third place in 4:08.57, while Chris Wanjiku of Kingston College, the top-ranked competitor, finished in eighth place with a time of 4:21.79. Additionally, JC’s Cavel Nooks won the Class Two title with a time of 4:20.79, defeating Phillip Palmer from St Jago High (4:21.42) and Bevin Davey from JC (4:22.78).

In the girls’ events, Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms comfortably won the Girls’ Class One 1500m race in 4:30.36, ahead of Cindy Rose (4:32.79) and Kaydeen Johnson (4:33.71) from Hydel. Ashara Frater of Vere Technical claimed victory in the Girls’ Class Two 1500m in 4:42.76, improving from her fifth-place finish last season. Jovi Rose from Holmwood Technical (4:43.59) and Rhodonna Prince from Bellefield (4:49.19) took second and third place, respectively. Alikay Reynolds from Alphansus Davis High successfully defended her Class Three 1500m crown, finishing in 4:43.92 ahead of Denique Palmer from Edwin Allen (4:44.37) and Dallia Fairweather from St Mary High (4:46.74).

Overall, Brian Kiprop’s impressive victory in the Boys’ Class One 1500m final at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships showcased his talent and determination as a young athlete. The competition was fierce, with athletes like Kemarrio Bygrave and Samuel Creary pushing themselves to their limits to secure top positions. The girls’ events also saw some outstanding performances from athletes like Rickeisha Simms and Alikay Reynolds, who proved their dominance in their respective classes. These championships provided a platform for talented athletes to showcase their skills and compete at a high level, highlighting the depth of talent in Jamaican and Kenyan athletics. Congratulations to all the medalists for their hard work and dedication to their sport.