KINGSTON, Jamaica— After a hiccup that saw the first round of the Class 4 Girls’ 70m hurdles having to be re-run, all is set for Friday afternoon’s semi-finals in the sprint hurdles on the penultimate day of the five day ISSA/GraceKennedy National Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

There was some confusion in the first round of the event after some of the athletes had difficulties negotiating the first hurdle and it was found out that the barriers were not placed at the proper distance and a decision was taken to run the entire event over.

Meanwhile, only three of the seven age groups between the boys and girls had first rounds as the girls’ classes 1 and 2 and the boys’ classes 1 and 3 went straight to semifinals set to start at 7:43pm on Friday.

Wolmer’s Girls’ Tiana Marshall was the fastest qualifier in the Class 3 80m hurdles after she ran 11.19 seconds (0.4m/s) to win her heat while Edwin Allen’s Angel Robinson, 11.33 seconds (0.7m/s), and the St Catherine High pair of Michaelann Lindo, 11.44 seconds (0,0m/s), and Akeelah Ellis, 11.45 seconds (0.2m/s), also made progress.

Jadea Harris of Wolmer’s Girls led the qualifiers in Class 4 with a time of 11.00 seconds (-0.4m/s), followed by St Catherine High’s Gabriella Treasure, 11.16 seconds (-0.9m/s). Shanikque Bartley of Edwin Allen High ran 11.20 seconds (-0.3m/s) and Clarendon College’s Chantelle Brown ran 11.45 seconds (-0.3m/s).

-Paul A Reid