The Queen’s/Grace Jackson highlights 3 athletics meets on today
The 19th staging of the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Track Meet will be one of three such development events on today across the island.
The St Elizabeth Invitational and the Northern Championship in Priory, St Ann, will make this another cracking weekend of athletics.
The elite athletes are down for the special outdoor 60m races at the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Track Meet at National Stadium and that’s where most eyes will be focused.
US-based Briana Williams and Andre Ewers have flown in for the 60m, which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm.
The 17-year-old Williams, who is the 2018 World Under-20, 100m and 200 champion, sped to an impressive 7.25-second run in the 60m at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field event on January 11.
She will match strides with Wolmer’s High standout Shauna Helps, who has a personal best of 7.28, as well as Natasha Morrison, Shashalee Forbes, Michae Harriott, Jodean Williams, and Srabani Nanda of MVP and India.
Ewers, who has a personal best of 6.52, will take on veteran Nesta Carter (6.52), Jamaican-born Andrew Fisher (6.53) of Bahrian, Turkey’s Emre Barnes (6.59), formerly Winston Barnes of Jamaica, and Everton Clarke (6.54).
Olive McNaughton, meet director, said that over 2,000 athletes will be in action as all the top boys’ and girls’ schools will be in action.
Over 100 schools, clubs and institutions will contest today’s event, while champion discus thrower Fedric Dacres and Travis Smickle will renew a rivalry but will have to watch young upstart Kai Chang, the Under-20 World champion.
World championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton is down for the women’s 200m along with Tiffany James of Mico University and Dawnalee Loney of Sprintec.
Sprintec’s Demish Gaye, who just missed a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in the 400m, will compete in the 200m along with hurdler Jaheel Hyde.
Meanwhile, the 38th staging of the STETHS Invitational on the school’s campus is set to start at 8:30 am and Meet Director Reynaldo Walcott expressed delight at having the top schools represented. “I expect the potentials for the World Junior to be on show.”
The likes of 2017 World Under-18 champion Antonio Watson of Petersfield High, along with the Edwin Allen’s magnificent trio of Kevona Davis and twins — Tia and Tina Clayton — will be in action.
Defending Boys’ Champs winner KC along with Calabar, JC and STETHS will be represented, while three of the top five girls’ schools — Edwin Allen, St Jago and Rusea’s High — will compete.
In St Ann at Grizzlys Plantain Cove, the Northern Championship for schools in St Mary, St Ann and Trelawny, will take place with St Mary High as the defending boys’ and girls’ champions.
The winning schools will walk away with $100,000 and $50,000 for the runners-up. The top male and female teams will collect $40,000 with trophy and $20,000 for the champion boy and girl.
—Howard Walker
