‘I will go faster!’
Kingston College’s (KC) Jhevaughn Matherson sizzled to an impressive 10.25 (1.6 mps) seconds to win the boys Under-20 100m final at the Carifta Trials inside the National Stadium yesterday.
Matherson, the reigning Carifta Under-18 champion, looked awesome and seemed back to his brilliant best despite a relatively slow start.
It was the second-consecutive year at the Carifta Trials that Matherson was achieving his personal best of 10.25 seconds when he powered away from the tall Jelani Walker, formerly of St George’s College, who was second in 10.36 seconds. Ashanie Smith of St Catherine High was third in 10.52 seconds.
“It was pretty good and I needed to get a lot more out of the start, but I will work on that; it was a fairly good performance,” said Matherson.
“It’s (slow start) a consistent problem and I am working with the coaching staff to get it better,” he added.
Matherson, KC’s main hopes in the 100m and 200m sprints, sent a strong warning to the boys from Red Hills Road that they will have to do something special to beat him this year.
“Apart from the start, there was a little discomfort with my calf, so I had to slow it down a little,” Matherson noted.
“But if every thing goes smoothly, I don’t want to put any specific times, but I will go faster, I know that,” said a confident Matherson.
Meanwhile, Calabar’s Tyreke Wilson also appeared to be back to his best form as he looked across at his competitors in capturing the Under-18 100m in 10.57 seconds. Michali Everett of Jamaica College was second with 10.66 ahead of Xavier Nairne of Wolmer’s Boys’ in 10.69 seconds.
Meanwhile, US-based 14-year-old Briana Williams booked her spot on Jamaica’s team after finishing second in the girls Under-18 100m in 11.66 seconds (1.1 mps). The race was won in impressive fashion by 15-year-old Class Three athlete Kevona Davis of Edwin Allen in an eye-popping 11.43 seconds. Michae Harriott of Holmwood Technical was third in 11.70.
So impressive was Davis’s time of 11.43, which is under the Champs record of 11.50 held by Shauna Helps, it was quicker than the Under-20 event which was won by Kasheika Cameron of Edwin Allen in 11.49 (1.9mps). Anika Brissett of St Jago High was second in 11.54 with Renee Shaw of Excelsior third in 11.59. Last year’s Class Two 100m champion Kimone Shaw and Shellece Clark struggled and missed out on an individual spot
In the boys Under-20 400m hurdles final, St Jago’s Timor Barrett clocked a good-looking 51.49 seconds to win ahead of Ronaldo Griffiths of the Clara Barton College in the US, who clocked 52.16. Third went to the fast-finishing Malik James-King of Calabar with 52.42.
The Under-18s also threw down some good times in the 400m hurdles as Dashinelle Dyer of St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) stopped the clock at 51.84 seconds in an eventful race in which KC’s Davion Williams hit the first hurdle and never recovered and Wolmer’s Jeremey Farr falling in the straight. Ravone Williams of Rhodes Hall High was second in 52.40 with Ramone Lindo of Vere Technical third in 52.96 seconds.
Earlier, Calabar High’s Christopher Taylor eased into the final of boys Under-20 400m after clocking 46.65 ahead of the improving Dashawn Morris of the KC, who stopped the clock at 46.95 seconds.
The trials continue today with another 26 finals.