FIVE THE HARD WAY
1. Bouwahjgie Nkrumie – Class 1 100m
KC’s team captain and leader, Nkrumie is critical to the defending champions’ title push. He is expected to set the pace when he competes in the Boy’s Class One 100 metres final on Wednesday, and the season leader with 10.18 seconds — which was done at the Carifta Trials — is in a record-breaking mood and could go beyond his 10.02 clocking to register a sub-10 seconds finish in front of a vibrant crowd.
2. Rayon Walters – Class 1 long and triple jump
With a season’s best of 7.60m and 15.33m in the long and triple jump events, Walters will be targeting maximum points for the “Purples” in the horizontal jumps. His biggest challenge could come in the long jump as Jamaica College’s Uroy Ryan, who has a season’s best of 7.57m, will push him to his limit and make life difficult for him.
3. Amani Phillips – Class 3 long and high jump
Phillips looks set for a double here with a best of 6.23m in the long jump and 1.80m in the high jump. His biggest threat could come from within his own team, with Stesean Hurd — who registered a best of 1.78m — posing a real challenge.
4. Isiah Patrick – open pole vault and decathlon
The multi-talented Patrick is a cinch for the decathlon event and is expected to score high in the pole vault, in which he is hoping to surprise the event’s favourite Lenworth Chung of Calabar.
5. Ainsley Campbell – Class 1 1500m and Open 2000m Steeplechase
A cut above his peers in the 2000m steeplechase with a fast time of 6:06.75 minute,s Campbell should continue his unbeaten run in the event here. The second seed in the Class 1 1500m, Campbell will be hoping to surprise hot favourite Kemarrio Bygove of Jamaica College who has the leading time of 4:02.42 minutes going into the championships.