Miller smashes Ja Jnr shot put mark
CALABAR Ashinia Miller threw a National Junior record 20.17 metres to become the first schoolboy to break the 20m mark in the shot put, as three records were broken at yesterday’s Big Shot Invitational development meet at the St Hugh’s High in Kingston.
Miller surpassed the 19.97 done at the Pan Am Juniors in Miramar, Florida, last July to win the Class One Boys’ event. The athlete, who turns 19 in June, told the Sunday Observer this feat was part of a bigger plan.
“It’s encouraging… the ultimate goal is the World Juniors and so far everything is working out fine,” he said.
The IAAF World Junior Championships will be held in Barcelona, Spain, in July.
Miller’s teammate Federick Dacres finished second (17.46), while Emmanuel Oniya of Munro was third (17.30m).
Carifta Games medallist Gleneve Grange of Holmwood Technical threw 13.39m to win the Class Two Girls’ shot.
Aaliyah Francis of St Hugh’s was second with 10.38 and Grange’s teammate Shanna Kaye Rowe’s distance of 10.26 was third.
Munro’s Vikarie Elliot also had a record in the Class Three Boys’ discus, with a throw of 40.74m.
Daniel Walker was second with 38.88 while Kingston College’s Jayaustin Brooks claimed third with 37.91.
In the girls equivalent, Paul- Ann Gayle of Edwin Allen secured victory after throwing 39.26m, while Francis was second with 33.25 and Holmwood’s Khona McFarlane third with 31.03.
Calabar’s Andre Beckford topped the competition in the Class Two Boys’ shot put with 49.53m ahead of Buff’s Bay’s Romario Willis, 45.83, and Munro’s Kino Dunkley, 45.49.
Meanwhile, Shane Dodd of GC Foster College captured the shot put Open male with a distance of 15.62 to beat Calabar’s Richard Wilson with 15.27 and Oniya of Munro, 14.67.
Walker won the Class Three event with a throw of 12.28, ahead of Kyle Mitchell of Wolmer’s, 11.63, and Shaquille Gilfillian of Lennon, 11.58.
Jeffrey King of GC Foster claimed the men’s javelin Open after a best distance of 55.91m, ahead of Rajae Gayle of Munro (51.00) and Rahjel Brown of UWI (49.65).
The Boys’ Open event went to Edwin Allen’s Jenthrow Tindale (52.55m) ahead of Old Harbour’s Everton Jones (50.41m) and Che-Andre Gordon of Wolmer’s 50.27m.
Holmwood claimed all three podium spots in the girls equivalent as Natanya McNeish threw 38.15m to win ahead of Shantay Stephens with 36.74 and Grange, 34.25.
Meanwhile, Calabar’s Dacres received a special citation from meet organisers for becoming Jamaica’s first world champion in a throwing event.
Dacres won the boys discus with a personal best 67.05m at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France last July.