BIG ‘DISCUS-SION’
If indications on the track and in the field on Tuesday’s opening day of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/GraceKennedy Girls’ Athletics Championship is anything to go by, then some fierce battles for points should be on the cards.
While there are nine finals down to be contested on today’s second day, at least two – the girls’ Class One 100m and the Class One discus throw – hold mouth-watering prospects, as both could go down to the wire.
Action is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am, with the first final, the girls’ Class Two shot put, scheduled for 2:30 pm.
With Abigail Martin of St Jago and overwhelming favourite Cedricka Williams of Holmwood Technical launching the discus over the previous record of 53.04m set by Fiona Richards in 2017, on their very first attempts, it means both should have enough in the tank to go even further.
Martin, who was expected to play second fiddle to Williams, figuratively threw down the gauntlet when she launched the instrument to a new record 55.19m. This was after her rival earlier threw 53.22m.
On the track, there were no surprises, as the big three, Edwin Allen’s Serena Cole, Alexis James of Petersfield and Hydel’s Alana Reid, remain on course to battle out the much-anticipated 100m.
Cole led the way to the semi-finals with a comfortable 11.57s, clocking in a -1.0 metres per second wind reading, with James (11.73s) and Reid (11.80s) also easy in -1.4 and -1.7 metres per second readings, respectively.
Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (12.09s) expectedly blazed the trail for the girls’ Class Three 100m, while Hydel’s Shemonique Hazel (12.17s) also safely progressed to the girls’ Class two semis.
Maria Baker (12.47s) of Holmwood Technical was the fastest qualifier from the girls’ Class Four event.
Hydel’s Nastassia Fletcher led qualifiers for the Girls’ Class Three 400m with Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery (55.29s) leading the way for the Class Two girls. The Class One girls will go straight to the semi-final.
Tonyan Beckford (57.90s) of Edwin Allen headlined qualifiers into the girls’ 400m hurdles open, where she will be joined by teammate Natasha Fox (1:00.94) and the Hydel pair of Oneika McAnnuff (58.24s) and Alliah Baker (1:00.36).
Earlier, Alikay Reynolds of Alphansus Davis clocked 4:48.09, as she topped qualifiers for the Girls’ Class Three 1,500m finals, with Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler (4:59.80) and Tabbrel Williams (5:00.21), also of Alphansus Davis, also entering the reckoning for medal contention.
Elsewhere in the field, St Jago’s Jade-Ann Dawkins topped the Class Two long jump qualifiers with a leap of 6.08m.
Meanwhile, Williams and Martin remain on course for possible double-medal-winning performances, as both launched 37.97m and 33.78m, respectively, to join top qualifier Natassia Burrell (40.25m) of Hydel into the javelin open final.