World Under-20 silver medallists Serena Cole of Edwin Allen High and Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College (KC) send strong messages to rivals on the opening day of the three-day Carifta Games Trials at the National Stadium on Friday night.
Cole, who surprisingly lost to world Under-20 bronze medallist Alana Reid at Central Athletics Championships at GC Foster College in Spanish Town last week, returned to top form to win her preliminary round heat of the Girls’ Under-20 100m in an easy-looking 11.21 seconds (2.0 metre per second wind).
The 11.21 easily represents the fastest time going into the final on Saturday.
Cole finished well clear of her Edwin Allen teammate Trezequet Taylor who finished in 11.90.
Serena Cole of Edwin Allen High wins her preliminary round heat of the Girls’ Under-20 100m. (PHOTO: Marlon Reid).
Alexis James of Petersfield High is the second quickest going into the final after outclassing her rivals to win heat one in 11.24 seconds with a positive 3.1 wind. Tia Clayton of MVP Track Club had to settle for second in 11.53 seconds, the third quickest over the heats.
Reid is the fourth quickest as the Hydel High sprinter took heat two in 11.55 seconds.
The other qualifiers are Wolmer’s Mickayla Gardner (11.65), St Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson (11.91), Edwin Allen High’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59), and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61)/
But the night belonged to Bouwahjgie, the national junior record holder, who recorded an impressive 10.19-second clocking in the fourth and final heat of the Boys’ Under-20 100m.
Although cutting his speed, Bouwahjgie won the heat well clear of second-place Jason Lewis of Camperdown High, who clocked 10.56 seconds.
The next best time going into the final is 10.31 seconds by Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin. Javoon Blair of Manchester High is the third quickest over the heats with 10.43 seconds while Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett is the fourth quickest with 10.49.
The reigning Carifta Games champion DeAndre Daley progressed as a non-automatic qualifier with 10.56 seconds. Daley was very slow out of the blocks but recovered to finish second behind Benjamin in heat two and had to wait before his spot was confirmed.
KC’s Yourie Clarke (10.55), Steer Town Academy Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56), and Camperdown High’s Jason Lewis are the other qualifiers for the final.
Natrece East (11.70) and Tiana Marshall (11.77), both of Wolmer’s High School for Girls are the quickest over the heats in the Gir’ls’ Under-17 100m
There was disappointment for Edwin Allen High’s Theianna Lee Terrelonge. The Class Three double sprint champion at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, who has only competed once this year, was disqualified from heat three as a result of a false start.
Tramaine Todd of St Elizabeth Technical High School led all qualifiers into the final of the Boys’ Under-17 100m with 10.59 seconds.
Calabar High’s Khamani Gordon is the second fastest over the heats with 10.68 while JC’s Nathaniel Martin is the third quickest with 10.69.
Earlier, Kevongayle Fowler of Edwin Allen High secured the Girls’ Under-17 1500m title in 4 minutes 47.92 seconds (4:47.92). Kededra Coombs of St Jago High finished second in 4:49.38 and Jovi Rose of Holmwood Technical, third, in 4:51.72.
The Boys’ Under-17 1500m title went to JC’s Rasheed Pryce courtesy of a well-timed run. Pryce, who won bronze over 800m at last year’s Carifta Games in Jamaica, came off the pace to win in 4:06.08 to book his ticket to Carifta Games 2023. Edwin Allen High’s Joel Morgan finished second in 4:07.35 and will join Pryce in the Bahamas. Bellefield High’s Requelme Johnson finished third in 4:09.37.
Holmwood Technical’s Jody Ann Mitchell and JC’s Kemarrio Bygrave took the Under-20 1500m titles.
Mitchell surged past Alphansus Davis High School’s Kishay Rowe within shades of the finishing line to win the Girls’ Under-20 1500m crown. Rowe clocked 4:41.80 for second place to book his spot at Carifta Games 2023. Rickeisha Simms of Edwin Allen had to settle for third in 4:42.20.
Bygrave easily won the Boys’ Under-20 title in 4:02.41. Ainsley Campbell of KC came with a very strong run in the straight to get second in 4:03.97. Yoshane Bowen of Maggotty High, who approached the straight in a clear second, was relegated to third in 4:09.05.
In the field events, Edwin Allen High’s Dionjah Shaw took the Girls’ Under-17 shot put crown with an effort of 13.83m while Camperdown High’s Britania Johnson won the Girls’ Under-20 title with a throw of 14.98m.
Munro College’s Javontae Smith won the Boys’ Under-17 shot put title with a throw of 15.33m while Calabar High Kobe Lawrence was crowned the Under-20 champion with a throw of 19.75m.
St Jago High’s Jade-Ann Dawkins won the Girls’ Under-20 long jump title with an effort of 6.12m.
Shanniqua Williams of Wolmer’s Girls’ High School cleared 1.70m for the Girls’ Under-17 high jump crown.
Action on Saturday’s second day is scheduled to start at 11:00 am with the final of the Girls’ Under-17 discus throw and the preliminary round of the Girls’ Under-17 400m hurdles.
The first 100m final is scheduled for 5:40 pm.
The 2023 Carifta Games will take place in Nassau, Bahamas from April 8-10.
In the 49-year history of the Games, Jamaica has topped the medal table 44 times and the country’s last defeat was in 1984 when The Bahamas won at home.
Jamaica hosted the Games last year and finished with 92 medals, their best-ever medal haul, surpassing the previous best of 86, which was achieved at the 2016 Games in Grenada and equalled in 2017 in Curacao.
