KINGSTON, Jamaica – Newly minted national junior 100m record holder, Alana Reid of Hydel, began her quest for a sprint double on Thursday at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, cruising to an easy win in the first round of the Class 1 200m.

Less than 24 hours after she smashed the Champs Class 1 and the national under-20 record with an awe inspiring 10.92 seconds, Reid barely broke a sweat as she won her heat in 24.51 seconds (1.0m/s).

St Catherine High’s Kamaria Knight was the fastest qualifier with 23.90 seconds (-0.5m/s), followed by Edwin Allen’s Kacian Powell, 23.92 seconds; and Wolmer’s Girls’ Mickayka Gardener, 23.96 seconds (-0.2m/s).

Class 2 100m champion Teianna-Lee Terrlonge of Edwin Allen, who won the Class 3 double last year, was the fastest in the 200m qualifying after she ran 24.76 seconds (-1.7m/s) to win her heat.

Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls, who was second in the 100m, and Poshanna-Lee Blake of St Jago High, who took the bronze, also advanced to the second round. East, who was the Class 4 sprint double winner last year, ran 24.99 seconds (-1.5m/s) and Blake ran 25.04 seconds (-1.7m/s).

All three medallists from the Class 4 100m, the Immaculate Conception pair of Kayla Johnson and Naje Brown, as well as third placed Gabrielle Morgan of Hydel, all made safe passage to the next round. Johnson ran 26.05 seconds to win her heat, Brown was second in her heat with 26.50 seconds (-0.3m/s) and Morgan ran 25.77 seconds (0.1m/s) to win her heat.

Port Antonio High’s Kevina Bourne was the fastest in the first round with 25.36 seconds (0.1m/s) followed by Clarendon College’s Tresha-Lee Sutherland, 25.69 seconds (-0.3m/s), and Holmwood Technical’s Maya Oakley, 25.79 seconds (-1.1m/s).

-Paul A Reid