Jamaica College's (JC) dramatic triumph at the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Champion-ships on Saturday night inside a sold-out National Stadium was not only a mark of Spartan-like determination, but also represented a redemption of sorts for head coach Orville Brown and his support staff, who have endured a testing year and a half or so.

This time last year, Brown was just getting settled in his new role as head coach, weeks after long-time coach, the outstanding John Muir, handed in his resignation to the JC management team. Brown led JC to a fourth-place finish, 152 points were their tally, some 56.50 points behind eventual winners Wolmer's Boys' School.

Twelve months onwards, Brown, who has been coaching pole vault at the Old Hope Road-based school for the past 20 years, was among the throngs of JC athletes, management, coaches and supporters, who flocked the National Stadium infield in celebration of their 21st hold on the Mortimer Geddes trophy, a piece of silverware they had not lifted since 2000.

"Everybody was aware of the issues and the challenges that we have faced in the past and had been having, but it's a great feeling having turned those problems into something positive and successful," said a clearly moved Brown, while huddled with a number of supporters and athletes.

"I cried, I couldn't help it because when I think about where we were some time ago; all the problems and stress and the hard work that was put in, this is the greatest experience I have had in a long while, it's an amazing feeling and the title race being as close as it was made this victory even more rewarding for us, it feels better," Brown exclaimed.

Brown, went on to admit that while he was confident of their chances to win it all, the victory came a bit ahead of schedule; that is certainly not good news for the other Champs aspirants. It's also key to note that JC won Champs without the contribution of some of their top athletes: star sprinters Rohan Walker, who was barred from competing by the school for academic reasons and Kavean Smith and Waquar DaCosta, who both aggravated injuries at the meet.

"We have been trying our best to spread the depth and quality of the programme, truth is that we are still building and for us to win Champs at this point is a great accomplishment, because this victory came a bit earlier than we had projected; next year, we expect to be even stronger," Brown warned.

Jamaica College's (JC) students celebrate.