DEFENDING champion Shericka Jackson took the Under-20 girls 200m title in questionable fashion on yesterday’s final day of the two-day trials at the Stadium East to select Jamaica’s team to next month’s Carifta Games.

Jackson of Vere, unbeaten so far over the distance this season, looked ready to surrender to the much taller Celia Walters of Racers’, who led coming off the curve.

However, Jackson forged ahead in the final 70m, taking the event in 23.85 seconds to Walters’ 24.04.

Afterwards it was clear that Jackson, who ran from lane six, had stepped into lane five in the path of William Knibb’s Stacika Bright.

No protest had been reported up to press time.

Wolmer’s Cardine Copeland finished third in 24.38, while Bright was fourth in 24.44.

Odail Todd of Green Island matched STETHS’ Kemarley Brown stride-for-stride for 30m of the final 70m as the pair battled for supremacy in the Under-20 boys 200m.

Brown proved the stronger of the two, pushing in front to take victory in 21.14 seconds, as Todd clocked 21.36 for second and Travane Morrison of KC 21.68 for third.

Brown proved the stronger of the two, pushing in front to take victory in 21.14 seconds, as Todd clocked 21.36 for second and Travane Morrison of KC 21.68 for third.

Neither 100m champion Kemar Bailey Cole nor runner-up Jazeel Murphy turned up for the heats of the Under-20 boys 200m despite both being entered.

Jonielle Smith of Wolmer’s put on a dominant performance taking the lead on the curve to dash to victory in the Under-17 girls 200m in 24.43 seconds ahead of the Queen’s Shanice Bonner, who finished second in 24.66.

Satina Chambers of Vere posted 24.82 for third.

It was a battle to the finish in the Under-17 boys 200m between Jamaica College’s Rohan Walker and Bog Walk’s Jevaughan Mainz.

Minzie led coming off the curve before Walker stepped on the gas in the final 70m and pressed it to the line, drawing level and pushing past Minzie just in time to win in 22.00 to Minzie’s 22.01.

Calabar’s Zavian Williams clocked 22.57 for third.

Stefan Fennel of Kingston College successfully defended the title he won in 2010 leading from start to finish to win the Under-20 boys 110m hurdles in an impressive 13.92 seconds.

Fennel told the Observer he felt good about the season, especially after a disappointing end to his 2010 Boys Champs campaign.

“I know I could have run faster. I put that (disappointment) behind me because this time I know I’ll come back fitter and stronger,” he said.

Omar McLeod of Manchester, who on Saturday won the 400m hurdles, finished second in a time of 14.18 and Yanick Hart of Wolmer’s third in 14.20.

Carifta Under-17 champion Megan Simmonds of St Andrew was upstaged in the girls Under-20 100m hurdles by St Jago’s Chrisdale McCarthy.

McCarthy finished in a time of 13.96 seconds to Simmonds’ 14.09 and Tonique Sobah of St Jago in 14.13.

Running from lane one, Yanique Thompson of Holmwood pulled away mid-race to take the Under-17 girls 100m hurdles in a time of 14.03 seconds ahead of Peta-Gaye Williams of Camperdown in 14.10 and Tishana Monteith of St Jago in 14.25.

Tyler Mason of Jamaica College separated himself from the competition in the Under-17 boys 110m hurdles to take the event by more than five metres in 14.12 seconds ahead of Calabar’s Michael O’Hara (14.41) and Maurice McIntosh of STETHS (14.47).

Rosean Maxwell of Munro College clocked 54.39 seconds to win the Boys Under-17 400m hurdles which was run a day after it was originally scheduled because of a technical mix-up on Saturday.

Vere’s Marvin Williams posted 55.14 for second ahead of Javon Ashley, who also registered 55.14 for third.

The favourite Rusheen McDonald of Garvey Maceo posted 47.32 to win the Under-20 boys 400m ahead of Waynee Hyman of Munro 47.47 and Lennox Williams of Manchester in 48.49.

Chris-Ann Gordon took 53.35 seconds to win the Under-20 girls 400m ahead of Olivia James of Vere 53.62 and Moya McKenzie of Bellefield 54.94.

Yanique McNeil ran to the finish in the Under-17 girls equivalent in 54.44 ahead of KissiAnn Brown of Wolmer’s in 55.02 and Genekee Leith of St Jago in 55.76.

Khadeesh Willis posted 49.78 for victory in the Under-17 boys 400m ahead of Keneil Harrison of Munro (49.98) and Okeen Williams of STETHS 50.40.

Alethia McLaughlin of STETHS ran 4:48.25 to win the girls Under-17 1,500m ahead of St Jago’s Roshae Burrell (4:50.36) and Derica Pitters of Edwin Allen (4:50.74).

David felled Goliath in the boys’ equivalent, as the tall Herbert Thomas of Munro was beaten by the diminutive Orville Dixon of Calabar.

Dixon was in charge for much of the race before Thomas took the lead with 50m remaining. Dixon somehow found a burst of energy to pip the taller athlete on the line in 4:10.39, ahead of Thomas’ 4:10.32, with St Jago’s Robert Thomas taking third in 4:13.11.

Vere had a 1-2 in the Under-20 girls event with Chantal Duncan taking victory in 4:44.49 ahead of Taska Johnson 4:44.69, while Holmwood’s Monique Thompson finished third in 4:45.35.

Bellefield’s Orane Wint (3:59.59) left it late, edging KC’s Rogeek Rochester (3:59.60) to win the boys’ Under-20 event, as Munro’s Giovanni Mowatt clocked 4:00.53 for third.

In the field, Manchester High’s Chanice Porter cleared a personal best 1.85m to win the Under-20 girls high jump.

“I felt great today because it’s my PB and I wasn’t looking for 1.85m because I haven’t attempted 1.80 since Central Championships,” she told the Observer.

Petergaye Reid of STETHS and Kimberley Williamson of Edwin Allen both cleared 1.80m for second and third, respectively.

Kellion Knibb of St Jago was a double winner, adding the Under-20 shot put to the javelin title she claimed on Saturday.

Knibb threw 13.51m to win ahead of Danniel Thomas of Edwin Allen with 13.21m and Samantha Hall of St Jago (11.70m).

Calabar’s Oshinia Miller threw 18.78m for the win in the Under-17 boys section, while Travis Smikle finished second with 17.73m and Munro’s Emmanuel Onyia 17.69m.

Kazuma Davis of Calabar leapt 4.40m to claim the Under-20 Pole Vault ahead of Xavier Boland who had a similar distance. Hugh Lewis of JC soared 3.60m for third.

Edwin Allen’s Paul Ann Gayle won the Under-17 discus throw with 40.03m.

Holmwood’s Gleneve Grange took her third medal of the trials, throwing 40.03m for second ahead of Tasha Crosse of Edwin Allen (34.62m).

The boys’ equivalent was won by Glenford Watson of Petersfield (45.10m), while Zavian Richards of KC threw 43.76m for second and JC’s Alec Verne Longmore 42.80m for third.

STETHS’ Opal James captured the Under-17 girls triple jump after she hopped skipped, and jumped to 12.42m ahead of Kristen Deacon of Wolmer’s, who cleared 11.69m and Kishan Gaye Chambers of STETHS who finished third with 11.56m.

Julanie Walker of Calabar claimed the boys’ Under-17 long jump with 6.64m ahead of Javauny Hyde of Wolmer’s 6.54m and Taryll Clarke of Calabar 6.32m.

Wolmer’s Jevaun James claimed the Under-17 triple jump as he leapt 13.97m to Julanie Walker’s 13.27.

Meanwhile, the medical tent was kept busy all weekend as the toll of two major meets and a long season impacted a number of teams.

The Carifta Trials came a week after the Gibson Relays, while the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ & Girls’ Athletic Championships are set to begin next week Wednesday.

The 2011 Carifta Games will be held at the Montego Bay Sports Complex from April 23 to 25.