It was a record-breaking evening session on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday as Jamaica’s U-20 Girls 4x100m team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton sped to a new world junior record 42.58 to win gold ahead of Barbados (45.36) and Trinidad and Tobago (46.12).
Jamaica’s U-20 Boys team comprising Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Deandre Daley and Sandrey Davison were also impressive with a Carifta record 39.15 to win gold ahead of the Bahamas (40.41) and the Cayman Islands (40.72).
Camoy Binger, Bryana Davison, Shemonique Hazle and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge combined to win Jamaica’s third sprint relay gold of the evening in the U-17 Girls section in 45.38 ahead of the Bahamas (47.13) and Trinidad & Tobago (48.19).
The hosts completed a clean sweep of the sprint relays as Jadan Campbell, Gary Card, Rickoy Hunter and Shaquane Gordon combined to dominate the Boys U-17 section in 41.74 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (42.77) and the Cayman Islands (43.40).
Moving into the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands won gold in the U-17 Girls section in 58.61 ahead of the Jamaican pair Jody-Ann Daley (1:02.22) and Deandra Harris (1:02.26).
Jamaica secured gold and silver in the U-20 Girls section through Sahfia Hinds (58.96) and Shackelia Green (59.77). Trinidad & Tobago’s Natasha Fox was third in 1:02.35.
The hosts once again swept the top two places in the Boys U-17 section thanks to Princewell Martin (53.00) and Jordan Mowatt (54.40) while Jermahd Huggins of St. Kitts & Nevis took third in 55.57.
Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won gold in the U-20 Boys section in 50.68 ahead of Shamiar Bain of the Bahamas (52.83) and Craig Prendergast of Antigua & Barbuda (55.08).
Moving into the field, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn cleared 2.05m to win the U-17 Boys high jump ahead of Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands (2.00m) and Jamaica’s Aaron McKenzie (1.95m).
Penn was also victorious in the triple jump with 14.63m to win ahead of teammate Euan Young (14.41m) and Jonathan Rogers of the Bahamas (13.99m).
The British Virgin Islands’ emerging star and 100m champion Adaejah Hodge continued her stellar showing at the Games so far with gold in the U-17 Girls long jump with a distance of 6.20m ahead of Jamaica’s Shemonique Hazle (5.85m) and Rohanna Sudlow (5.65m).
Jamaica secured gold in the Boys U-20 long jump through the supremely talented Jaydon Hibbert on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.
The Class I gold medallist in both the long and triple jump at last week’s ISSA Boys and Girls Championships jumped out to 7.62m to win gold ahead of St. Vincent’s Uroy Ryan (7.52m) and Barbados’ Aren Spencer (7.48m).
Hibbert will be looking for a second gold medal in the triple jump on Monday, an event in which he is currently the world U-20 leader with a massive 16.66m done to win gold at Champs.
Guyana’s Anisha Gibbons won gold in the U-20 Girls javelin with 42.54m ahead of the Barbadian pair of Vivica Addison (41.92) and Vanessa Greaves (41.17).
Dominica took gold in the U-20 Girls shot put through Treneese Eloui Hamilton’s 14.58m effort. Jamaica’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.19m for her second silver medal of these games while Suriname’s Alicia Grootfaam threw 12.97m for bronze.
In the 800m semis, Guyana’s 1500m champion from Saturday Attoya Harvey was the fastest qualifier to the U-17 Girls final in 2:15.76 ahead of Jamaica’s Andrene Peart (2:15.79) and her Guyanese teammate Narissa McPherson (2:19.89).
Bermuda’s Nirobi Smith Mills was the fastest qualifier to the Boys U-20 final with 1:55.11 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Nathan Cumberbatch (1:55.75) and Jamaica’s 1500m silver medallist Adrian Nethersole (1:55.89). 1500m Gold medallist J’Voughnn Blake also advanced to the final comfortably in 1:58.31.
The 800m finals are scheduled for Monday. Both the Girls U-20 and Boys U-17 800m will be straight finals.
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz confirmed their place in the final phase of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship with a 5-1 win over the Dominican Republic at Sabina Park in Kingston on Tuesday.
Jamaica, who moved one step closer to qualifying for their second straight World Cup, took the lead in the 15th minute through a right footed close-range effort from Jody Brown before the Dominican Republic equalized in the 24th minute through a brilliant strike from Kathrynn Gonzalez.
Jamaica re-took the lead in the 40th minute through Trudi Carter and got a third in the 60th minute when Tiffany Cameron slotted home from a Khadija Shaw pass.
Shaw then got in on the scoring in the 79th minute to make it 4-1 before doubling her tally through a header in the 93rd minute to make it 5-1.
With the win, Jamaica finished top of Group C with a perfect 12 points from their four games.
The final phase of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship takes place in Mexico from July 4-18.
Kingston College secured their 33rd hold on the Boys title and Edwin Allen secured their ninth hold on the Girls crown as the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships came to a close at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
Edwin Allen finished with 352 points followed by Hydel (295), St. Jago High (249), Holmwood (174) and Excelsior (107).
On the Boys side, Kingston College finished with a mammoth 372 points to win ahead of Jamaica College (300.83), Calabar (170), St. Jago (147) and Edwin Allen (95).
Edwin Allen’s team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton sped to a world high school record 43.29 to win the Class I Girls 4x100m Relay ahead of St. Jago High (45.05) and Hydel High (45.12).
The Class II event was won by Holmwood Technical in 46.33 ahead of St. Catherine High (46.45) and Edwin Allen (46.55).
St. Jago won the Class III race in 45.64 ahead of Hydel (46.19) and Holmwood Technical (46.67) while Immaculate Conception took the Class IV relay in 47.32 over Edwin Allen (48.25) and Hydel (48.58).
Jamaica College won the Boys Class I event in 39.43 ahead of St. Jago (39.89) and Camperdown (40.02).
Kingston College sped to 41.28 to win the Class II relay ahead of STETHS (41.74) and Calabar (41.86).
Calabar won the Class III event in 43.99 ahead of St. Jago (44.86) and JC (44.88).
Edwin Allen tasted victory in the Girls 1600m Sprint Medley in 3:58.87 ahead of Alphansus Davis High (4:06.74) and Holmwood Technical (4:07.31) while Kingston College won the Boys event in 3:27.66 ahead of STETHS (3:27.70) and Jamaica College (3:30.97).
Brianna Lyston anchored Hydel to victory in the Girls 4x400m Relay in 3:35.38 ahead of Edwin Allen (3:37.71) and Holmwood (3:38.34).
Jamaica College ran 3:10.04 to win the final event of Champs 2022, the Boys 4x400m ahead of Kingston College (3:10.68) and St. Jago (3:11.69).
In the field, Serena Cole, before running a leg on Edwin Allen’s victorious 4x100m team, won the Class I Long Jump in 6.36 ahead of St. Jago’s Machaeda Linton (5.82) and her Edwin Allen teammate Paula-Ann Chambers (5.71).
Edwin Allen’s Christopher Young got his third medal of the championships with gold in the Class I Boys Shot Put with 19.37m ahead of Calabar’s Kobe Lawrence (18.86) and St. Jago’s Brandon Gayle (18.30).
KC took gold in the Boys Class I High Jump through Verrol Sam (2.05m) who won ahead of STETHS’ Dejone Raymond (2.00m) and St. Jago’s Demario Prince (2.00m).
KC’s Aaron McKenzie added to his gold medal in the Class II High Jump by jumping out to 14.27 to win the Class II Triple Jump ahead of the JC pair Chavez Penn (14.22) and Euan Young (14.15m).
Hydel’s Kerrica Hill continued her stellar form at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium with a world youth record 12.71 to win gold in the Class II 100m Hurdles on Saturday’s day five.
Hill, who already won gold in the 100m on Wednesday, broke her own record of 12.89 which she set in the semi-finals on Friday. Her teammate Shania Myers was second in 13.27 and St. Catherine’s Asharria Ulett finished third in 13.35.
Hydel’s Malayia Duncan ran 10.38 to smash the Class IV Girls 70m Hurdles record and win gold ahead of Edwin Allen’s Arihanna Brown (10.58) and St. Jago’s Rihanna Anderson (10.62).
St. Jago’s Camoy Binger was next in line, blazing to a new record 10.87 to win the Class III 80m Hurdles ahead of her teammate Bryana Davidson (11.06) and Hydel’s Jody Ann Daley (11.18).
Oneka Wilson made it three records in the sprint hurdles for Hydel and four overall with a 13.00 clocking to win the Class I 100m Hurdles final ahead of Petersfield’s Alexis James (13.21) and Gabrielle Matthews of the Queen’s School (13.45).
Tahj-Oneil Gordon of KC won the Boys Class III 100m Hurdles final in 13.30 ahead of JC’s Javion Pladley (13.65) and Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (13.76).
KC secured a one-two finish in the Class II 110m Hurdles with Jadan Campbell (13.67) and Kaheim Carby (13.68) finishing ahead of Daniel Wright of Excelsior (13.82).
St. Jago’s Jahvel Granville ran 13.56 to win the Class I Boys 110m Hurdles ahead of Calabar’s Dishaun Lamb (13.56) and KC’s Tajae Francis (13.75).
Moving into the field, KC’s Aaron McKenzie set a new record of 2.11m to win the Boys Class II High Jump ahead of JC’s Chavez Penn (2.00m) and KC’s Aaron Thomas (1.95m).
JC’s Zachary Campbell was also in record-breaking form in the Boys Class II Discus Throw with 56.49 to win ahead of KC’s Antwon Walkin (47.43m) and JC’s Delangelo Jackson (47.02m).
Shemonique Hazel of Hydel won gold in the Class III Girls Long Jump with 6.27m ahead of Excelsior’s Shelley-Ann Taylor (5.71m) and St. Jago’s Briana Campbell (5.71m).
Camperdown’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.06m to win the Girls Class I Shot Put ahead of St. Jago’s Jamora Alves (13.82m) and St. Catherine High’s Natalie Albert (13.40m).
Hydel’s Brianna Lyston destroyed Simone Facey’s 18-year-old the Class I Girls 200m record (22.71) with a phenomenal 22.53 into a -2.2 m/s headwind to win gold on Day five of the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly was second in 23.59 and St. Jago’s Shenese Walker was third in 23.89.
Bryan Levell completed the sprint double by running 20.77 to win the Class I Boys event ahead of JC’s Deandre Watkin (20.84) and St. Jago’s 400m champion Gregory Prince (20.92).
100m silver medalist Alana Reid won gold in the Class II race in 23.59 ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Mickalia Haisely (23.87) and Mount Alvernia’s Carletta Bernard (24.02).
JC’s Mark Anthony Miller added to his 100m gold medal with 21.82 to win the Class II Boys event ahead of Omarion Barrett of Steer Town (21.97) Enrique Webster of STETHS (22.15).
Theianna-Lee Terrelonge completed her own sprint double in Class III with a personal best 23.91 to win ahead of Lacovia’s 400m champion Sabrina Dockery (24.30) and Holmwood Technical’s Abrina Wright (24.44).
Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar finally got his gold medal in the Class III Boys event in 22.81 ahead of KC’s Shavaughn Brown (23.14) and Herbert Morrison’s 100m champion Tavaine Stewart (23.15).
Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East secured the Class IV sprint double with a time of 24.62 ahead of Janelia Williams of Excelsior (25.34) and Sashana Johnson of Hydel (25.43).
Jamaica College secured 16 points in the Boys Class I 800m as their captain J’Voughnn Blake ran 1:58.67 to equal former Edwin Allen standout Chevonne Hall’s 2021 Class I record ahead of teammate Handal Roban (1:48.72) and KC’s Giovouni Henry (1:50.79).
There was an upset in the Boys Class II final as favorite from Foga Road Franklyn Tayloe, after leading for about 770m, had to settle for bronze in 1:57.14 behind winner Ainsley Brown of Port Antonio (1:55.08) and silver medalist Rashid Green of STETHS (1:56.23).
JC’s Samuel Creary added to his silver medal from the 400m to win gold in the Class III Boys 800m in 2:01.34 ahead of KC’s Nahashon Ruto (2:01.45) and Manchester’s 400m champion Troydian Flemmings (2:01.46).
Edwin Allen’s Rushana Dwyer rebounded from her disappointment in the 1500m to win gold in the Class I 800m in 2:08.36 ahead of her teammate Jessica McLean (2:09.23) and Holmwood Technical’s Jodyann Mitchell (2:10.33).
Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms won gold in Class II in 2:08.52 ahead of St. Catherine’s Kitania Headley (2:08.98) and Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose (2:10.80).
Holmwood Technical’s Andrene Peart won the Class III Girls 800m in 2:12.97 ahead of Edwin Allen’s 1500m gold medalist Kora Barnett (2:13.67) and St. Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:15.27).
Hydel’s Kerrica Hill was in record breaking form in qualifying for the Girls Class II 100m Hurdles final at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
Hill, who ran 11.16 to win gold in the 100m on Wednesday, equaling the record set by former Edwin Allen star Kevona Davis in 2018, sped to a brilliant 12.89 to break former Excelsior and current Baylor University sprint hurdler Ackera Nugent’s Class II record of 12.91 set in 2019. Hill’s time is also equaled Nugent’s world Under-18 record set at the Youngster Goldsmith Classic in the same year.
St. Catherine High’s Asharria Ulett was second fastest in qualifying with 13.28 while Hill’s Hydel teammate Shania Myers was third with 13.56.
Petersfield’s Carifta Trials Under-20 champion Alexis James ran 13.40 to be the fastest qualifier to the Class I final ahead of Hydel’s Oneka Wilson (13.54) and Manchester’s Janela Spencer (13.58)
The St. Jago pair of Bryana Davidson (11.04) and Camoy Binger (11.08) were fastest to advance to the Class III 80m Hurdles final ahead of Excelsior’s Shelley-Ann Taylor (11.34).
Qualifiers for the Class IV 70m Hurdles final were led by Edwin Allen’s Arihanna Brown (10.76), Hydel’s Malayia Duncan (10.79) and Immaculate Conception’s Ayanna Blake (10.83).
Kingston College’s Taj-Oneil Gordon led all qualifiers to the Class III Boys 100m Hurdles final with a swift 13.56. Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (13.62) and Jamaica College’s Javion Pladley (13.75) were the only other qualifiers below 14 seconds.
The fastest qualifier to the Boys Class II 110m Hurdles final was KC’s Jadan Campbell with 13.67 ahead of Calabar’s Shaquane Gordon (13.68) and KC’s Kaheim Carby (13.71).
JC’s Jaheim Stern was fastest in the Class I 110m Hurdles semis with 13.67 ahead of St. Jago’s Jahvel Granville (13.69) and Excelsior’s Sharvis Simmonds (13.77).
Kingston College superstar jumper Jaydon Hibbert added to his Class I long jump title after smashing the triple jump record on the way to his second gold medal on Day 4 of the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
Hibbert uncorked a personal best and world junior leading mark of 16.66m to win gold ahead of the Jamaica College pair of Rajaun Ricketts (15.06m) and Stafon Roach (14.92m).
The 2021 silver medalist at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, erased former O'Brien Wasome’s Class I record of 16.39 done in 2016.
On the track, Edwin Allen, St. Catherine High, Dinthill Technical, Alphansus Davis High, Holmwood Technical, The Queen’s School, Maggotty High and Excelsior all advanced to the final of the Girls 1600m Sprint Medley.
STETHS, Jamaica College, Kingston College, Calabar, Vere Technical, William Knibb, Excelsior and Petersfield advanced to the Boys 1600m Sprint Medley final.
Holmwood Technical, Hydel, Excelsior, St. Jago, Edwin Allen, St. Mary High, St. Catherine High and Manchester High will contest the final of the Girls 4x400m Relay.
Jamaica College, Calabar, St. Jago, Edwin Allen, Kingston College, Excelsior, STETHS and Manchester High all advanced to the final of the Boys 4x400m Relay.
Wolmer’s Girls secured gold and silver medals in the Class III High Jump at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships early on Thursday.
The stage has been set for the 400m finals to close out day three of the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.
In the Class I Boys event, the main contenders will be Kingston College’s Shaemar Uter, St. Jago’s Gregory Prince and Edwin Allen’s Delano Kennedy.
Prince, who won the event at Central Champs last month, was the fastest qualifier to the final with 46.60. Kennedy, who ran 46.97 to win at last month’s Carifta Trials, ran a personal best 46.66 to finish second behind Prince in his semi-final. Uter, who represented Jamaica at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, won his semi-final comfortably in 47.10.
Kingston College is expected to score big in the Class II 400m with Marcinho Rose looking like the favorite for gold. Rose ran an easy 49.05 in his semi-final to be the fastest qualifier.
His teammate Tahj-Marques White only ran 50.74 for third in his semi-final but is expected to feature prominently in the final as he entered the championships with the fastest time of any Class II boy this year with 48.35 which he ran at a Corporate Area Development meet last month. He also ran 48.36 to win the Under-17 Boys 400m at the Carifta Trials ahead of Rose.
Also expected to be in the mix is Central Champs champion Antonio Powell of Edwin Allen who qualified second fastest with 49.30.
Jamaica College’s Samuel Creary (50.85), Excelsior’s Demarco Bennett (50.83) and Manchester’s Troydian Flemmings (50.96) are expected to battle it out for the Class III title.
The Girls Class I event is expected to be a hot contest between Clarendon College’s Class II champion from 2021, Dejanea Oakley, who qualified fastest with 52.77, St. Jago’s Safhia Hinds (53.65) and Vere Technical’s Kaylia Kelly (53.86).
Ferncourt’s Abigail Campbell is a big favorite to add to her Class III title from 2021 in the Class II final after she ran 53.94 to qualify fastest for the final, the only girl to go below 54 seconds. Her main challengers are expected to be Hydel’s Alliah Baker (54.48) and Lacovia’s Rasheika Byfield (54.61).
Lacovia’s Carifta Trials Under-17 400m champion Sabrina Dockery (55.59) and the Holmwood Technical duo of Abriana Wright (56.10) and Rosalee Gallimore (55.84) are expected to battle it out in Class III.
The stars were on show on the first day of the 2022 ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
The marquee event, the 100m, saw all the big names safely make it through to the semi-finals which are scheduled to start at 3:30pm on Wednesday.
In the Class I Boys event, the Kingston College pair of Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.53) and Jeevan Newbie (10.55) were the fastest qualifiers to the semi-finals.
Edwin Allen’s Bryan Levell (10.73), St. Catherine’s Sandrey Davison (10.73) and Herbert Morrison’s Carifta Trials Under-20 100m champion DeAndre Daley (11.00) all got through their heats safely as well.
In Class II, Spot Valley’s Romario Hines (10.90), KC’s Aaron Thomas (10.90), Steer Town’s Omarion Barrett (10.93) and St. Jago’s Kawayne Kelly (11.01) were the fastest men in the heats. The JC pair of Mark Anthony Miller (11.53) and Dontae Watson (11.21) as well as KC’s Marvin Patterson (11.04) all safely got through to the semis.
Johan-Ramaldo Smythe of Muschett High (11.47) and Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar (11.52) were the fastest in the Class III heats.
On the Girls side, Hydel’s Briana Lyston (12.01), Edwin Allen’s Tina Clayton (12.03) and her sister Tia Clayton (12.24) all progressed safely to the semi-finals in Class I but it was Petersfield’s Alexis James who qualified fastest with an impressive 11.72.
The Hydel pair of Alana Reid (12.04) and Kerrica Hill (12.31) got through comfortable in Class II while Edwin Allen’s Theianna Lee-Terrelonge (12.25) and Holmwood’s Abrina Wright (12.41) were the fastest to progress in Class III.
In Class IV, Natrece East of Wolmer’s (12.61) and Kimberly Wright of Immaculate (12.91) were the fastest qualifiers while pre-meet favourite Kedoya Lindo of Immaculate also safely got through with a 13.01 clocking.
ISSA Boys and Girls Championships pundit Hubert Lawrence believes that Kingston College and Edwin Allen are favourites to win the Boys and Girls titles, respectively, as the competition get underway at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
“It looks to me as if the boys' side could be quite close. Both KC, the 2019 champions, and JC, the 2021 champions, are quite strong,” Lawrence said.
“Early in the season, it looked as if JC was not as significantly strong as KC in Class III, but each week I saw the JC Class III look better and better and it may be that on balance now, the two teams are quite strong. I don’t think there’s a walkover even though, in general, KC might look a little bit ahead,” he added.
Lawrence also expressed where the main strengths of both teams are.
“Where KC is brilliantly strong is in hurdles across the classes while JC is brilliantly strong in the 800, 1500 area across all the classes. It may be that those strengths and balances cancel out and in the 800s and 1500s, there is an extra race than the hurdles because there is no Class III 400m Hurdles but there’s Class III 800m and 1500m,” he said.
On the Girls' side, Lawrence believes that despite the fact that Hydel looked good all season, Edwin Allen is still the team to beat.
“Girls Champs will be quite competitive as well. Edwin Allen is coming on every week. They’ve had a late start to training and rain in the hills in Frankfield but they look to be coming on each week and I would have to say they’re the favourites to defend their title,” he said.
“Who’s coming at them? Hydel. One of the remarkable things about coach Cory Bennett is his ability to hide a great side in plain view. So, you might go and score them 10 points but they’re really worth 17. St. Jago is also like that this year but coach Michael Dyke at Edwin Allen is a master at getting his teams to peak at the right time so that is up in the air but I say Edwin Allen would go in feeling in a stronger position than KC on the Boys' side,” he added.
Switching gears from teams to individuals, who, apart from the obvious candidates, does Lawrence have his eyes on to do big things at Champs?
“I’d go Alexis James from Petersfield in the Girls Class I sprint hurdles. Because Class I has a glittering 100m and 200m compliment of athletes like the Clayton twins and Briana Lyston, not many people are looking at the sprint hurdles," he said.
"James won at Carifta trials and in that race too, Oneika Wilson of Hydel got to the World Junior final but couldn’t run because of COVID protocols. Both of them are not far away from the Champs record of 13.12 so I think that’s an event we have to look at. We’re very sprint focused but I think the sprint hurdles with Megan Tapper getting the bronze in Tokyo, with us having two world champions in that event in Danielle Williams and Brigitte Foster-Hylton, that’s an event now at the Class I level that might just move forward,” he said.
“On the Boys' side, one athlete that we might not watch too much because we’re sort of track-focused is Christopher Young of Edwin Allen, former Class II discus champion. He’s been fantastic in the shot put, discus and javelin. I think his teammate, Trevor Gunzel, is just as good as he is in the shot as well as World Under-20 finalist Kobe Lawrence of Calabar so he won’t have it easy,” he said.
Tuesday, April 5 will mark the start of the 112th edition of one of the most anticipated high school athletics showcases in the world, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.
During the championships that will conclude on Saturday, April 9, established stars like Hydel’s Briana Lyston, Edwin Allen’s Clayton twins and Brian Levell are all expected to dominate but who are some under-the-radar competitors to keep an eye out for?
“There are so many talented athletes that aren’t from the top schools,” said Champs pundit Oliver “Elmo” Harris.
Among them is Lacovia High’s Sabrina Dockery. “She won the Girls Under-17 200m at the CARIFTA Trials and I expect her to do well in the Class III event at champs,” he said.
Ferncourt High School’s Abigail Campbell is another less-heralded athlete, who could shine during the championships.
“She won the 200m in Class III last year and I think she’ll do well in Class II this year,” Harris predicts.
He also expects big things from Hydel’s Class II sprinter/hurdler Kerrica Hill.
“She ran the third leg on Jamaica’s World Junior Record 4x100m team last year,” he said.
“I’m also looking forward to the Immaculate (High) sprinters. At the Corporate Area Championships, they won the 100m in all classes. The clash to look out for is in Class IV between Kedoya Lindo and Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls in the 100m,” he added.
On the boy's side, Harriss sees a big clash coming in the Class I 400m Hurdles.
“I think the big clash on the boys' side will be between KC’s Rayon Campbell and Camperdown’s Roshawn Clarke in the Class I 400m Hurdles,” he said.
At the recent Carifta Trials, Campbell ran what was then a world-leading 49.52 to Clarke's 49.85. Harris expects more of the same at Champs.
The veteran pundit also believes the Class II sprints will thrill the thousands expected to turn out.
"The Class II sprints, as far as I'm concerned, will be more fascinating. Early in the season, Mark Miller from Jamaica College was considered a shoo-in for the 100 and 200m. That's no longer the case. He could win and he has the fastest time coming in but there's Shaquane Gordon of Calabar, Gary Card from Wolmer's and Omarion Barrett from Steer Town. That race will be fascinating," he said.
However, with all that said, who does Harris believe will win the respective titles at Champs 2022?
“I think KC will win Boys champs ahead of JC and Calabar. On the Girls' side, Edwin Allen will win, Hydel second and St. Jago third,” Harris said.
Shericka Jackson made a winning return to the 400m at the Velocity Fest 10 at the National Stadium on Saturday.
The multiple time Olympic and World Championship medallist ran 51.29 to win section B of the Women’s 400m ahead of Candice McLeod (51.78) and Anthonique Strachan (52.89).
Ashley Williams won section A in 53.90 ahead of Odeshia Nanton (54.39) and Yanique McNeil (54.82).
Anthony Cox won section B of the Men’s 400m in 46.13 ahead of Zandrian Barnes (46.18) and Akani Slater (46.71).
There were only two competitors in the Women’s 400m Hurdles which saw two-time Olympic finalist Janieve Russell run 56.40 to win ahead of Junelle Bromfield who ran 56.61.
2019 Men's World Long Jump champion Tajay Gayle opened his season with 7.97 to win the event ahead of Emmanuel Archibald (7.93) and Shawn-D Thompson (7.92).
Jamaica wrapped up their Concacaf World Cup Qualifying campaign for Qatar 2022 with a comeback 2-1 victory over Honduras on the 14th and final matchday of the Third Round of CWCQ on Wednesday night at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
Honduras enjoyed the better start of the two sides and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 18’.
After a VAR review, the referee ruled there was a penalty for Honduras and Angel Tejeda stroked home the spot-kick to give the Catrachos the advantage.
Jamaica looked to get back on level terms and they would get the 1-1 equalizer in the 38’ with a penalty conversion from Leon Bailey.
The momentum was with Jamaica and the Reggae Boyz took their first lead of the contest just moments before the halftime whistle with Ravel Morrison burying a shot off a corner kick to make it 2-1 to the home side.
Jamaica aimed to extend their advantage in the second half, while Honduras tried to find a way back on even terms, but in the end, no goals could be found in the second 45 minutes, as Jamaica saw things out to collect the three points.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
