CANDICEA Bernard of St Hugh’s High School highlighted yesterday’s opening day of the GraceKennedy Girls Championships after setting a new record in the Class 1 discus event.

The 18-year-old athlete, who was second last year, atoned with a throw of 46.67m, easily surpassing the 45.13m set by Holmwood Technical’s Salcia Slack two years ago.

Many-time champions Vere Technical lead the championships with 16 points after two finals — three more than Wolmer’s Girls’,13, while St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS), defending champions Holmwood Technical and St Hugh’s are all on nine points — one more than Edwin Allen.

Four more finals will be contested today — the high jump Class 2, long jump Class 4, shot put Open and long jump Class 2.

Holmwood’s head coach Maurice Wilson said they were “slightly behind” on the points’ projection after the first day, adding, “We would not mind four or five more”.

He quickly added, however, that it was far too soon to panic: “It’s only the first day of Champs and we have our work cut out.”

Wilson, who was absent when Holmwood lost Central Champs, also said they were better off than most, “all things considered, especially after Central Champs we are OK”.

Michael Dyke, who many are tipping to lead Edwin Allen to their first title, said they were ahead of where they expected to be.

“We projected five points, but said the third place in the Class 1 discus by Kenisha Stewart was a bonus for us.”

He is not celebrating yet, however, as like Wilson, he says there is way too much work to do over the next three days.

Yesterday, Bernard — who set a National Junior Record of 48.52m some weeks ago — said despite not improving her personal best, she was still pleased.

“I came to Champs with one intention, to win” she told the Observer, adding, “after losing last year, I did not want to focus on any record but just the gold medal.”

Vere’s Vanessa Levy, who won last year while competing for Edwin Allen, was second with 45.85m, while Edwin Allen’s Kenisha Stewart was third with 3.97m.

Meanwhile, Rochelle Farquharson of STETHS retained her triple jump Open title with a personal best 13.20m set on her first attempt as she had two jumps over the 13m mark.

The 17 year-old Farquharson, who came into the meet with a person best 13.01m set at the CARIFTA Trials two weeks ago, told the Observer she was pleased with her efforts.

“Yes, I’m happy with what I did today, setting a personal best is always good when you win.”

She said that while she was “confident” coming into the meet, her major concern was improving on her mark.

Wolmer’s Samantha Francis and Jeanelle Facey took the silver and bronze medals to give their school the early lead with 13 points, ahead of STETHS.

Francis had a best jump of 12.68m, while Facey had 12.50m.

On the track, Leslie-Ann Mitchell of Manchester High is the only finalist from the Class 1 200m last year who advanced from the first round this year, but she could have a difficult time with the likes Celia Walters of Vere and Antonique Campbell of Herbert Morrison, the top two from Class 2 last year.

The Queen’s School’s Diandra Gilbert leads the qualifying with 23.85 seconds, ahead of Campbell’s 24.09, with Mitchell, 24.17, and the Holmwood pair of Yanique Ellington and Ornella Livingston next.

Holmwood’s Shericka Moulton, Vere’s Sheicka Jackson, Herbert Morrison’s Seidatha Palmer and The Queen’s Danielle Williams all made it through the first round of the Class 2 200m.

Glengoffe’s Natasha Morrison leads with 24.28 seconds, while Shawnette Lewin of Edwin Allen had the third best time of 24.59.

William Knibb’s Channiel Johnson leads the qualifiers in the Class 3 200m with 24.63 seconds, but last year’s silver medallist Channice Bonner of The Queen’s, Kedisha Dalls of Holmwood — who was fifth last year — and teammate Diana Johnson, last year’s Class 4 champion, have also advanced.

Natalliah Whyte of St Jago was the fastest Class 4 girls in the heats, running 25.3 seconds, while Wolmer’s Shauna Helps and Valencia Marshall of Edwin Allen rounded off the top three.

Willomena Williams of Bog Walk is the surprise leader in the Class 2 800m after the first round, running 2 minutes 14.87 seconds leading Edwin Allen’s Desreen Montaque and St Jago’s Shevel McDonald — one of the favourites in third place — while Vere’s Taska Johnson and Edwin Allen’s Carla Thompson, who are expected to feature in the medals on Saturday, also qualified.

Defending champion Chris-Ann Gordon of Holmwood easily won her heat in the Class 3 800m, which is being led by the Edwin Allen pair of Marleena Eubanks and Sanikee Gardner.

Defending champion and silver medallist Nikita Tracey and Ristananna Tracey, both of Edwin Allen, qualified with the two fastets times for the final of the 400m hurdles Open, running 58.67 seconds and 59.87 seconds, respectively, to win their respective semi-final heats.

They were the only runners under the one-minute mark as World Youth Championships silver medallist Danille Dowie of Wolmer’s Girls’ was third in 1:00.09

Points standing after two finals

Vere Technical 16

Wolmers Girls 13

STETHS 9

Holmwood Technical 9

St Hugh’s 9

Edwin Allen High 8

St Jago 5

St Andrew High 4

Manchester High 1

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

8:30 Girls High Jump Class 4 Prelims

8:30 Heptathlon # 5 Boys Long Jump Open FINAL

8:30 Girls 1500 metres Class 3 Prelims

8:45 Girls Shot Put Open Prelims

8:50 Boys 1500 metres Class 3 Prelims

9:20 Girls 1500 metres Class 2 Prelims

9:35 Girls Discus Class 2 Prelims

9:35 Boys 1500 metres Class 2 Prelims

10:05 Girls 1500 metres Class 1 Prelims

10:15 Boys 1500 metres Class 1 Prelims

10:40 Girls Long Jump Class 2 Prelims

10:45 GIRLS High Jump Class 3 FINAL

10:45 Boys 400 metres Class 3 Prelims

11:05 Boys Shot Put Class 2 Prelims

11:15 Girls 400 metres Class 3 Prelims

11:40 Boys 400 metres Class 2 Prelims

12:15 Girls 400 metres Class 2 Prelims

12:35 Boys 400 metres Class 1 Prelims

12:55 Girls 400 metres Class 1 Prelims

1:35 MEDAL PRESENTATION

1:45 Boys High Jump Class 2 Prelims

1:45 Boys Triple Jump Open Prelims

1:45 Heptathlon # 6 Boys Discus Throw FINAL

1:45 Girls 100 metres Class 4 Prelims

2:20 Girls 100 metres Class 3 Prelims

2:55 Boys 100 metres Class 3 Prelims

3:35 Girls 100 metres Class 2 Prelims

4:05 Boys 100 metres Class 2 Prelims

4:10 Girls Long Jump Class 4 FINAL

4:10 Girls Shot Put Throw Open FINAL

4:40 Girls 100 metres Class 1 Prelims

5:00 Boys 100 metres Class 1 Prelims

5:00 Boys Pole Vault Open FINAL

5:00 Boys High Jump Class 3 FINAL

5:10 Boys Discus Throw Class 1 FINAL

5:35 Girls 800 metres Class 3 Semi-Final

5:45 Boys 800 metres Class 3 Semi-Final

5:55 Girls 800 metres Class 2 Semi-Final

6:10 Boys 800 metres Class 2 Semi-Final

6::10 Girls Long Jump Class 2 FINAL

6:20 Girls 800 metres Class 1 Semi-Final

6:30 Boys 800 metres Class 1 Semi-Final

6:40 MEDAL PRESENTATION

6:50 Hep # 7 1500 metres Open FINAL

6:55 Boys 5000 metres Open Prelims

7:45 Girls 200 metres Class 4 Semi-Final

8:00 Girls 200 metres Class 3 Semi-Final

8:10 Boys 200 metres Class 3 semi-Final

8:20 Girls 200 metres Class 2 Semi-Final

8:30 Boys 200 metres Class 2 Semi-Final

8:45 Girls 200 metres Class 1 Semi-Final

8:55 Boys 200 metres Class 1 Semi-final