THERE will be high expectations as the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) junior trials get underway on Thursday, running alongside the senior trials at the National Stadium as under-19 athletes seek spots on the country’s team to the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.

At least two individual gold medallists from Cali, Colombia, two years ago, and maybe as many as three medallists, could be part of the Jamaican team to compete in Lima, Peru, from August 27-31.

World Under-20 record holder and Under-20 Championships record holder Jaydon Hibbert has already signalled his intention to try and defend his triple jump title, and will also contest the long jump.

It is not known whether 100m hurdles champion Kerrica Hill will take part in the junior championships.

Hill, like her former Hydel High teammate Alana Reid who won the bronze medal in the 200m in Cali, is entered in the senior events, with signalling their intent to challenge for spots on the team to Paris.

Competing against the seniors would not prevent them from being able to be named on the team to Lima.

Hibbert intends to compete at both championships, and Hill and Reid — the latter leading the world 100m rankings for under-20 girls — could do the same or, failing to make it to the Olympics, if their times are better than the juniors they could be included by the selectors.

Two field events finals will be decided Thursday. They are the girls’ 19 and under triple jump and the girls’ 19 and under discus throw, while the preliminaries in the 100m, 400m hurdles, and 800m for both genders are down to be contested.

Jade Ann Dawkins of St Jago High (13.28m) and Immaculate Conception High’s Jaeda Robinson (13.21m), as well as Sabrina Atkinson of Hydel with 12.94m, have already attained the qualifying standard of 12.90m.

St Elizabeth Technical’s Richelle Stanley, the Carifta Games Under-20 champion, is not far of the mark with a best of 12.83m.

Edwin Allen High’s Dionjah Shaw leads a big field of 18 athletes in the discus throw, her 50.26m being the only one over the qualifying mark of 49.00m, with her teammate Shamoyea Morris and Able Mills of St Catherine High both over 48.00m.

The boys and girls 100m races are expected to attract a lot of attention, with a handful of athletes with the ability to get on the team.

Javorne Dunkley has been the fastest Jamaican junior male so far this year with 10.17 seconds, followed by Gary Card’s 10.23 seconds and DeAndre Daley’s 10.26 seconds, with Hector Benjamin next with 10.34 seconds.

Alana Reid is the world leader with 11.09 seconds, the season’s best time, while Thieanna Lee Terrelonge is ranked number seven with 11.22 and Sabrina Dockery is 12th with 11.26.