Jamaica’s youth sprinters produced impressive performances on the opening day of the three-day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Carifta Trials at the National Stadium on Friday.
The group included genuine talents such as World Under-20 champion Tina Clayton of Edwin Allen and World Junior champion Sandrey Davison of St Catherine.
They will line up for the final at 5:40 pm Saturday, with action set to begin at 11:00 am at the same venue. The Cariifta Trials are being used to select Jamaica’s team for the 49th Carifta Games scheduled for the Easter weekend of April 16-18. Jamaica has been confirmed as the host country for the event.
Tina Clayton cruised through to Saturday’s Under-20 100m final after posting an easy 11.39 seconds (0mps), as Kerrica Hill of Hydel High posted a personal best 11.31 seconds (1.0mps) and teammate Alana Reid with 11.40 seconds, also progressed.
Tina’s sister Tia posted 11.41 to also make the final.
In the Under1-7 section, Theianna Lee Terrelonge was the fastest qualifier with 11.73 seconds (-0.5mps). Shemonique Hazell of Hydel (11.76secs) and St Jago’s Bryanna Davis (12.03secs) also booked their spots in the final.
On the boys’ side, Herbert Morrison’s Western Champion Deandre Daley booked his passage with a 10.30secs (0.4mps) clocking, as World Junior Champion Davidson of St Catherine High won his heat in 10.32secs (1.4mps) and Edwin Allen’s Bryan Lovell ran 10.39secs to also advance.
At the Under-17 category, Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon with 10.79secs (-0.2mps) and Gary Card of Wolmer’s Boys’ School with 10.85secs were the leading performers into the final.
In the girls’ Under-20 1500m, Holmwood Technical’s Jody Ann Mitchell stopped the clock in 4:37.18 minutes to win a close race ahead of Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms in 4:37.50 minutes and St Mary High’s Shone Walters in 4:37.51 minutes.
In the younger division, Andrene Peart won her 1,500m in 4:54.10 minutes, ahead of St Jago’s Kedera Coombs in 4:54.30 minutes, with Vere Technical’s Ashara Frater next in 4:57.71 minutes.
Maggotty High’s Yoshhane Bowen clocked 4:09.21 minutes to win the boys’ Under-17 1,500m, with Jamaica College’s Tyrone Lawson next in 4:11.25 minutes and Gage Buggam of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) third in 4:14.90 minutes.
On the boys’ side, Jamaica College’s J’Voughnn Blake showed his class with a 3:55.45-minute win ahead of STETHS’ Adrian Nethersole in 3:59.91 minutes, and teammate Omarion Davis (4:01.04 minutes, in third.
Also, Abigail Campbell led all qualifiers in the girls’ Under-17 400m with a 54.52-second win in heat two. The Vere Technical duo of Shevaughn Thomas (56.09secs) and Ethorna Williams (56.83secs) were the other two best qualifiers.
Kingston College teammates Tajh-Marques White with 49.12secs and Marchino Rose with 49.55secs won heats two and three, respectively, to lead all qualifiers in the boys’ Under-17 400m. Edwin Allen’s Antonio Powell with 50.30secs was the next best qualifier.
Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly (53.81secs) and Hydel’s Oneika McAnnuff (54.23secs) are through to the final, as Excelsior High’s Dejona Simpson with 55.10secs being the next best qualifier from the girls’ Under-20 400m heats.
Kingston College’s Shaemar Uter ran 46.99secs in heat two to lead the qualifiers from the boys’ Under-20 event, with Delano Kennedy (47.63secs) of Edwin Allen and Excelsior’s Malachi Johnson (48.20secs) also progressing.
