Girls’ Class 1 throws a must-watch
THE CLASS 1 battle between Fiona Richards of Edwin Allen Comprehensive High, Gabrielle Bailey of St Jago High and Aiko Jones of Wolmer’s Girls is compulsory viewing at this week’s Boys and Girls Championships. That’s the tip from Michael Vassell, noted coach and director of a long running series of throws-only meets. Vassell also pinpoints Marie Forbes of Vere Technical High School is a thrower to watch this week.
From his point of view, Richards, Bailey and Jones will delight fans. Richards set a class 1 discus record of 53.04 metres last year and surpassed it at Jamaica College and his Big Shot Invitational with 53.56 and 54.95 metres respectively this season. However the Edwin Allen senior has lost to St Jago captain Bailey who won both the discus and shot put at Central Championships. Bailey’s discus flew a record distance of 50.22 metres there.
“You know, they’ve been back and forth this season and it’s ironic”, he offered, “they might just lose to Aiko Jones.”
On paper, Jones has a strong chance in the class 1 shot following her 14.14 metre victory at the Corporate Area Championships.
He holds the Wolmer’s head girl, a former class 2 shot and discus champion in high regard. “She knows to win and she is just a fierce competitor and I think she might just be the one to upset the apple cart on the day.” Vassell concluded.
Richards won both events last year with Bailey third in the discus and Jones second in the shot.
“She is one of the consummate throwers,” he said of Forbes who goes to Championships as the favoured athlete in the class 2 discus and shot put. “She looks good, she works hard and she has been very consistent,” he continued “and it’s one of the people it’s a pleasure to watch her compete.”
Forbes is heading for a discus hat trick having won in class 3 in 2016 and in class 2 last year. “It’ s really Mrs Tamar Williams-Gayle who has done some good work at Vere,” Vassell observed.
Forbes did the disc/shot double at Central Championships with a fine effort of 46.88 metres in the discus. That follows her season’s best of 48.50 metres in the friendly Excelsior High School throwing circle at the Big Shot. She will need to be sharp in the shot as Keliesha Shaw seeks the gold medal for the Rusea’s School and has a mark of 14.90 metres from Western Championships, compared to Forbes’ winning Central Championships throw of 14.58 and her effort at the Big Shot, 14.66 metres.
Forbes will be trying to move up from sixth in the shot this time.