AFTER a quiet start yesterday, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls’ Athletics Championships is expected to heat up today with three finals set to be contested.

Today the Class One discus, Class Two shot put and the steeple chase Open will be decided as the hunt for points begin in earnest.

Also today, there will be the preliminaries of the Class Four long jump, shot put Classes One and Two, high jump Classes Two and Three, 200m in all four classes, three 800m, discus Class Three and 400m hurdles.

Meanwhile, finalists and semi-finalists in several events were decided yesterday, including the Class One discus throw, which is expected to be one of the stellar events this week.

Defending champion Shadae Lawrence of Hydel High and runner-up Rochelle Frazer of Edwin Allen were first and second in yesterday’s qualifying. Lawrence, who won in an upset last year, qualified for today’s final with 46.79 metres, while Frazer threw 46.04 metres.

Paul-Ann Gayle of Edwin Allen threw 45.88m, and Excelsior’s Shanice Love threw 41.33m, and both are expected to battle for the medals.

Three finalists from last year’s Class Two shot put have qualified for the final, but it is Vere Technical’s Avery Pryce who leads with 13.85m after the preliminaries.

Hydel’s Devia Brown, who was third last year, advanced with 13.69m, Georgette Samuels of Holmwood Technical, who won the silver last year, threw 12.39m, while St Elizabeth Technical’s Sahjay Stevens, who was sixth last year, threw 13.17m.

World Junior Championships relay representative Dawnalee Loney of Camperdown High, who was second while competing for Balaclava High last year, ran 53.56 seconds to lead the Class One girls’ 400m.

Vere Technical’s Derr-Ann Hill clocked 54.28 seconds, while Class Two champion last year Tiffany James of Papine won her heat in 54.25 seconds, while her teammate Candice McLeod clocked 54.70 seconds.

Hydel High’s Taqece Duggan, who was the runner-up in the Class Two 400m last year, ran 55.75 seconds to lead the qualifiers into the semi-finals, winning the first heat yesterday.

Janiel Moore of Edwin Allen won heat five in 56.20 seconds, while Frome Technical’s Amoy Mairs won heat three in 56.25 seconds.

St Elizabeth Technical’s Satanya Wright, last year’s Class Three champion, won heat two also in 56.25 seconds, while Danielle Thompson of Manchester High won heat four in 56.44 seconds.

Vere Technical’s Sanique Walker (56.43 seconds) and St Catherine High’s Anna-Kay Allen (56.52 seconds), medallists from last year, lead, the Class Three 400m.

Abigail Brooks of Hydel, who was sixth last year, also qualified easily running 56.83 seconds, while Lacovia High’s Shanamarie Staple was impressive in her heat, winning in 57.07 seconds, as Albert Town’s Tasinia Mothersill (57.34 seconds) and Edwin Allen’s Nadine Rose (57.89 seconds) also advanced.

Defending champion Safia Morgan of Immaculate Conception is through to the final of the Class One high jump along with Carifta Games medallist Annastacia Forrester of Manchester High, Sashane Hanson of Herbert Morrison, Samara Spencer and Britney Kerr of Hydel and Hanifah Abdulqadir of St Jago High, all clearing 1.60m.

The top three from last year’s Class Two 100m hurdles are safely through to the semi-finals, led by defending champion Janeek Brown of Wolmer’s Girls’, who won her heat in 13.82 seconds yesterday.

St Jago High’s Safiya Thompson, who won the silver medal last year, also won her heat in 13.92 seconds, while Nicolee Foster of Holmwood Technical, who won the bronze last year, ran 14.29 seconds to win her heat.

Glengoffe’s Trishauna Hemmings clocked a fast 13.82 seconds in her heat, while Edwin Allen’s Patricia Moody, Manchester High’s Class Three champion last year Sidney Marshall and Hydel High’s Brittani Thompson also advanced easily.

Holmwood Technical’s Shanette Allison, who was third last year, leads the Class Three 80m hurdles qualifier, running 11.41 seconds to win heat one, while Joda Campbell of Hydel High (11.54 seconds) and Kimeone McLeod of St Jago ran 11.70 seconds to win their respective heats.

Manchester High’s Danella Dawkins, who was a finalist last year, also advanced after placing second in her heat to Campbell.

St Jago’s Crystal Morrison had the fastest time in the Class Four 70m hurdles qualifying, running 10.70 seconds to win heat four, Edwin Allen’s Lisandra Brown won heat three with 10.83 seconds, while Immaculate Conception’s Riana Battick clocked 10.86 seconds in her heat.