Spotlight on hurdlers at Youngster Goldsmith
HURDLERS WILL be in the spotlight tomorrow when the local track and field season continues with the staging of the Youngster Goldsmith Classic at the National Stadium starting at 9 a.m.
The hurdles events in most classes could play a significant role in deciding both male and female titles at this year’s ISSA/ GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships (Champs), and both intermediate and sprint hurdlers will be hoping to gain a psychological advantage going into the big meet next month.
In the first event on the track tomorrow, the 400 metres hurdles open for girls, Edwin Allen High’s Tonyann Beckford and Natasha Fox, two finalists at Champs last year, will take on Hydel High’s Aaliyah Mullings and Natassia Fuller. Two other top contenders are St Jago High’s Quana Walker and Excelsior High’s Diandra Kelly.
Top boys’ schools Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High will be well represented in the Class Two 400m Hurdles. Taj Oneil Gordon and Johvaine Tyrell will lead KC’s charge against Calabar’s dynamic duo of Robert Miller and Jamaica Pecco. However, Excelsior High’s Demarco Bennett could spoil the party here after a good start in the event this season.
KC’s strength in the 400m hurdles should come to the fore in Class One, which will be spearheaded by Antonio Forbes. Jamaica College’s (JC) Princewell Martin and Dorian Charles, along with MVP’s Tyriece Hyman and New Era’s Jevaughn Pinnock, the former St Jago star, should make it a very competitive affair.
As is usual at the meet, the sprint hurdles are contested as heats and finals, and most of the top athletes will be in action. Among the girls in the Class One 100m Hurdles are the trio of Habibah Harris of St Elizabeth Technical, Kiara Meikle of Holmwood Technical, and Asharria Ulett of St Catherine High.
It should be no different in the Class One Boys’ 110m Hurdles as Shaquan Gordon of Calabar, Donald Clarke of KC, and Excelsior High’s Richard Hall and Daniel Wright - who are all sub-14 seconds hurdlers - should have an intense battle.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
With the 2000m steeplechase not being contested at the Corporate Area Championships, the top athletes in the event will be in action at the meet. Brian Kiprop and Rekelme Hunter will lead KC’s charge, and Dominic Amponsah, Evans Tetteh, and Alex Baker will be the leading runners in the event for JC. St Jago’s Raheem Walker is also down to contest the event.
In the sprints, Edwin Allen High athletes will take centre stage where three of their athletes are leading the ranking in three out of four classes. They are led by the outstanding Theianna-Lee Terrelonge with a season’s and personal best 11.30 seconds in Class Two. Teammates Trezeguet Taylor (11.69) and Kereille Etienne (11.70) will lead the charge in Classes One and Three, respectively.
Among the males, the charge will be led by Herbert Morrison Technical’s Deandre Daley in Class One. Daley has a personal best 10.08. Christopher Scott of JC along with Tremain Todd of St Elizabeth Technical and Yourie Lawrence of KC will also be seeking to run fast times tomorrow.