The race for the 2019 ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls Championships is expected to move into a higher gear on today’s second day of the five-day spectacle at the National Stadium after yesterday’s quiet start.

With only preliminaries held yesterday, the top schools, led by Edwin Allen High and main contenders Hydel High and Holmwood Technical, wasted no time in getting their athletes safely through to the next round, setting the stage for what is expected to be yet another outstanding ‘Champs’.

The first points will be awarded today with two girls’ final set to be contested, both in the throws — the Class One discus and Class Two shot put after both had their preliminaries on Tuesday.

The Class One discus is expected to be one of the most competitive events of the week, with three athletes distancing themselves from the field so far this season.

Vere Technical’s Marie Forbes, Rusea’s High’s Shamella Donaldson, and Edwin Allen’s Kimone Reid have all thrown over 49.00m this year and are expected to battle out for the medals.

Donaldson, who broke the meet record at the COCAA/Digicel Western Champs last month, was third last year, but Forbes, who set a new Class Two, record in 2018 and could start as the slight favourite today.

After the preliminaries of the Class Two shot put yesterday, Sherene Williams of St Elizabeth Technical led the qualifiers with 13.29m; Aaliyah Whyte of Wolmer’s High, who just missed the final last year, was next with 12.79m, followed by Safeya Woolcock of Immaculate Conception with 12.77m, Monifa Edwards of Edwin Allen High-12.24m, just ahead of Vere Technical’s Shatoy Chambers-12.33m, and Shakoya Maison of Mavis Bank High-12.29m.

Also today, the preliminaries of the 400m and 1500m as well as the preliminaries of the 4x100m relays will be on the track. Also, the first round in Class One of field events will be on, including shot put in the morning. There will also be action in Classes Two and Three high jumps.

Only two of the four sprint hurdles events started yesterday – the Class Four 70m and Class Three 80 events, with Classes One and Two going straight to the semi-finals on Friday.

Chrystal Shaw of The Queen’s School led the qualifiers in the Class Three 80m event, running 11.36 seconds (-1.6m/s), to win heat three, while Hydel High’s Shania Myers won heat four with 11.46 seconds (-1.0m/s) and St Jago High’s Danae Nembhard won the first heat with 11.50 seconds (-1.4m/s).

Both Edwin Allen runners Brianna Watt and Tonie-Ann Forbes also advanced, as well as Hydel’s Stephanie Griffiths and Holmwood Technical’s Atalya Wallace.

Edwin Allen’s Santae Wilson ran 10.75 seconds (-3.0m/s) to win the first heat in the Class Four 70m hurdles, the fastest time of the day followed by St Jago High’s Jaeda Mitchell with 10.81 seconds (-1.5m/s) and St Elizabeth Technical’s Western Champs record holder Habiba Harris clocking 10.82 seconds (-1.7m/s).

Spalding High runners led the qualifiers in both classes Two and Three 800m with Cheriece Cope running 2:7.81 minutes in Class Two winning heat four, Aliya Johnson of Holmwood Technical won her heat in 2:19.45 seconds, Edwin Allen’s Jessica McLean (2:22.40) and last year’s silver medallist Daniella Deer of Holmwood Technical (2:22.44).

Rushana Dwyer of Edwin Allen High (2:19.81), Marchell Pearce of Hydel High (2:19.29), and the St Jago High pair of Alesia Douglas (2:22.44) and Petasha Ellis (2:22.54) also making progress.

Kishay Rowe, unbeaten all year, leads the qualifiers to the semi-finals of the Class Three Girls’ 800m after a smart 2:17.30 to win her heat, while Holmwood Technical’s Jodyann Mitchell won her’s in 2:17.74 and Hydel High’s Britana Mullings had the third best time of 2:18.32.

Fourteen athletes achieved the automatic qualifying mark of 1.60m in the Class One high jump, including defending champion Lamara Distin, who transferred from Vere Technical to Hydel High and 2018 silver medallist Annia Ashley of Edwin Allen, as well as Janique Burgher of Edwin Allen, who was second in Class Two last year.

Holmwood Technical’s Susan Francis, who won the bronze medal last year, failed to advance after passing the first three heights then knocked down the bar at 1.55m three times.