FORMER many-time champions John Mills have taken the early lead with 39 points after three finals on day one of the 37th staging of the three-day Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Junior High & All-Age Athletics Championships at the Stadium East Track yesterday.

Following John Mills in the overall points standing are defending champions Windward Road on 21 points, Mico Practising on 14, Louise Bennett-Coverley on 12.5, and Calabar with 8.5 points.

Seven finals are scheduled to be contested today — the boys’ Class Two high jump, Class One girls’ and boys’ long jump, girls’ shot put open, Class Three boys’ high jump, Class One boys’ high jump, and the 1,500 metres open for girls. Action begins at 9:00 am.

Windward Road’s coach Oral Whilby said things are looking extremely good for the team, and he is not perturbed by being in second place on the first day.

“Things have gone well so far and nothing really happened with any upsets of my athletes. I am very optimistic of winning the championships,” Whilby said.

He said judging from what he has seen of John Mills yesterday, he doesn’t see them giving Windward Road a challenge fight as his athletes are holding their own nicely.

“We are much stronger in the young classes which John Mills seem lacking in, and nowhere can they get the better of us as we expect to dominate the relays,” said Whilby, who is confident of qualifying in the majority of the finals, especially today.

Meanwhile, John Mills’ Ransford Spaulding is happy with his team’s present situation.

“We are very much a little weak in the younger classes but we are expected to produce many outstanding performances from our athletes in the other classes. Our athletes will be producing a number of exciting wins during the finals,” Spaulding said.

John Mills finished first and second in the long jump Class Two girls’ final won by Jonie Morgan with a leap of 4.67 metres and Tatyawna Crawford second with 4.54m, while Tashema Bennett of Windward Road was third with 4.26 metres.

John Mills also finished one-two in the Class One girls’ high jump with Ashley Miller winning with 1.40 metres and Diandra Ellis with 1.25m. Shana Robinson of Louise Bennett-Coverley and Yohlanda Grant tied for third place with 1.25 metres each.

Chasity Taylor of Mico Practising was the winner of the Class Three girls’ high jump with a leap of 1.25 metres with Tiffany Williams finishing with the same height of 1.25m, while Gayon Haughton of Windward Road was third with 1.20 metres.

Tino Kelly of Windward Road ran the fastest time in the 400 metres for Class One boys in the heats with 53.36 seconds, with Regjay Nelson of Green Park in 55.85 seconds expected to be his main challenger, along with Nathaniel Frank of Melrose in 56.36 seconds.

The fastest times done in the Class One boys’ 100m yesterday were by Romario Taylor of John Mills with 11.72 seconds, and Javante Daley of Braeton with 11.70, while in the heats of the Class One girls’ 100 metres, the fastest times were by Chevelle Lewis of Windward Road with 13.07 seconds and Akira Bethune of John Mills with 13.16 seconds.

Shavary Grant of Constant Spring ran the fastest time in the heats of the Class Two boy’s 100 metres with 12.17 and Odane Spence of Calabar with 12.31, while the two fastest times in the Class Two girls’ 100m were from Tatianna Rhoden of Windward Road with 13.68, and Jessica Fenton of Mount Moreland with 13.81 seconds.