Eventual winner Adrian Findlay (right), Danny McFarlane (centre) and Neil Gardner contest the 400 metre hurdles heats during the National Athletics Championships at the National Stadium last night. Findlay clocked 49.64 seconds, the same time as McFarlane, while Gardner clocked 49.83 seconds. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Aleen Bailey, Veronica Campbell and Patrick Jarrett sent early warnings in the first round of the women's and men's 100 metres, but Simone Facey pulled up with 30 metres to go on day one of the Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.

Bailey, the defending champion, and Campbell posted identical times of 11.31 seconds ahead of today's final two rounds of the women's 100 metres.

Pressed to the finish, Jarrett clocked 10.27 seconds beating Lerone Clarke who ran 10.29 seconds. Defending champion Asafa Powell ran 10.36 seconds, while his expected main challengers, Steve Mullings and Michael Frater, clocked 10.35 and 10.3 seconds, respectively, to all qualify.

Simone Facey collapses in pain after pulling up in the women's 100 metres. (Photos: Bryan Cummings)

The women's sprint final is scheduled for 7:30 tonight, 10 minutes before the men's final.

Facey pulled out of the National Junior Championship two weeks ago because of a strained quadriceps, but was eager to book a place in the 100 metres at the Olympic games. Last night's injury to the world's fastest female junior this year in both the 100 and 200 metres means that her bid to take the sprint double at next month's world junior championships in Italy is in jeopardy.

In the finals yesterday, Dorian Scott won the men's shot putt with a throw of 18.11 metres. Wilbert Walker took the triple jump in 15.65 metres and Kesheila Reid captured the discus with 41.89 metres. In the 400-metre hurdles, Dean Griffiths and Patrina Allen advanced to today's final as the fastest qualifiers in the men's and women's competitions, respectively.

Griffiths won the third of three heats in 49.46 seconds with Adrian Findlay and Danny McFarlane having the next best times - both clocking 49.64 seconds in heat one. Allen set a solid pace to win the second of two heats in 56.18 seconds ahead of the experienced Allison Beckford, who ran her own race to time 56.52 seconds. Favourite Debbie Ann Parris won heat one in 56.65 seconds.

Sprinter Patrick Jarrett storms to victory in the heats of the 100 metres at the National Stadium late yesterday. Jarrett clocked the fastest time in the men's sprints - 10.2 seconds.

Evan Allen and Shaun Smith were the top two qualifiers for tomorrow's men's 800 metre finals after times of 1:50.43 and 1:50.47, respectively.

In the women's 400 metres, Nadia Davey topped the preliminary round in 51.37 seconds, followed by Novlene Williams, 51.78 seconds, and Ronetta Smith next in 51.85 seconds.

In the men's 400 metres, Michael Blackwood clocked the fastest time in the preliminaries, 45.79 seconds, ahead of Lansford Spence and Brandon Simpson 46.06 seconds, each.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

9:30 am - women hammer throw final
5:00 pm - men's pole vault final
5:00 pm - men's discus final
5:30 pm - women's triple jump final
6:00 pm - women's shot put final
6:00 pm - men's high jump final
6:00 pm - women's 100m semifinal
6:10 pm - men's 100m semifinal
6:20 pm - women's 400m hurdles
6:40 pm - women's 1500m final
6:50 pm - men's 1500m final
7:00 pm - men's 100m masters final
7:30 pm - women's 100m final
7:35 pm - women's long jump final
7:40 pm - men's 100m final
7:50 pm - women's 400m semifinal
7:55 pm - men's 400m semifinal

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