Excelsior High Class 2 intermediate hurdler Jaeden Campbell was one of the standout performers on Friday’s fourth day of competition at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) after producing a massive personal best and record 50.87 seconds to win the Boys’ Class 2 400-metre hurdles.
Campbell, who on the previous day showed great form in the flat 400m when finishing second in a personal best 46.74 seconds behind winner Jason Pitter of Kingston College in a record 45.76 seconds, was highly motivated ahead of the 400m hurdles final and was not surprised by his super performance.
Known for going out hard, the David Riley-coached athlete stamped his authority on the race early, delivering a record-breaking performance, erasing the 2017 mark of 51.44 seconds set by Wolmer’s Boys’ School standout Jeremy Farr.
“The race was a very special one for me, going out there and executing like I did, and it was just a great race,” he said.
“My mindset ahead of the race was just to stay focused and not be concerned about any of my competitors.”
After posting a personal best 46.74 seconds the previous day behind the outstanding Pitter, who ran the first sub-46-second race in Class 2 with a winning time of 45.70 seconds, Campbell stated that he was highly motivated for the 400m hurdles.
“I came to the Championships knowing that I was in fantastic form, and my time in the 400m showed that. I just followed the instructions of my coach and the rest is history,” said Campbell, who noted that his focus was on the 400m hurdles.
When asked if he was surprised about the easy win, his response was: “No, I knew I was ready as I had put in the hard work and was running fast times leading up to the Championships.”
He also thanked the people behind his massive performance.
“First, I must say a big thank you to my coach, teammates and the massive support from the management staff and supporters, as I had to do it for all of them,” he concluded.
