Chad Hendricks finally got the better of Shaiquan Dunn, beating him by a mere nine millimetres in a fierce but friendly battle in the boys 19-and-under discus throw competition at the JAAA National Junior Championships at National Stadium on Saturday.

Hendricks of Munro College, the Western Champs and Penn Relays winner, was beating his Jamaica College counterpart for the first time, but the two could be on the Jamaican team to the World Athletics Under-20 championships set for Lima, Peru, in late August, as both have thrown over the 55.50m qualifying distance.

He threw 58.69m to beat Dunn who threw 58.60m, with Kamari Kennedy third with 51.68m.

Hendricks, who has accepted a scholarship offer to attend Louisiana State University (LSU) later this year, took the win in stride, telling the Jamaica Observer, “I am not sure what made the difference to beat Dunn today, but I am, as usual, happy for the win.”

He said he thought he was heading in the right direction, but “I still need to step up and perform on the day,” and said having competed at the Carifta Games in April, he has an idea what to expect.

The World Under-20 Championships are set to start on August 27, two weeks after the school year is set to begin in the US, but Hendricks told the Observer he had already spoken to the staff at LSU and it would be no issues for him to start a few weeks later.

Hendricks’ teammate Selethel Johnson won the high jump title with 1.85m.

Also, Romario Hines ran a personal best 21.01 seconds (-1.1m/s) to lead the qualifying for the boys 19-and-under 200m, less than his previous best of 21.26 set at the March staging of the boys’ athletics championships.

Carifta Games record holder Marcinho Rose also advanced with 21.29 (-03m/s) and Junior Gallimore of Calabar High, who ran 21.32 (-0.3m/s).

Carifta Games finalist Johan-Ramaldo Smythe (21.48) (-1.1m/s), Tyreece Foreman (21.75), and Antonio Powell (21.86) will also be chasing one of the two spots on the team to Lima, Peru, in late August.

US-based Skyler Franklin leads the girls 19 and under 200m qualifying after winning her heat in 23.01 (-0.8m/s), followed by Sabrina Dockery of Lacovia High who ran 23.32 (-0.5m/s), and Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) championships girls Class Two winner Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High (23.82) (-0.1m/s).

ISSA Champs Class One winner Aaliyah Baker of Hydel also qualified with 24.19 (-0.5m/s) along with Edwin Allen High’s Joune Armstrong (24.33).

Shaquane Gordon ran 13.43 (-0.1m/s) to lead the qualifiers in the 110m hurdles, Richard Hall and Daniel Beckford were next with 13.45, followed by Daniel Clarke (13.55), Shevon Depass (13.91), and Mathew Sullivan (13.92).

Shania Myers was the fastest in the 100m hurdles with 13.43 (-1.1m/s), ahead of Briana Campbell (13.46)(-0.7m/s), Tonie-Ann Forbes (13.48), and favourite Habiba Harris (13.50).

Shanniqua Williams, the only Jamaican with the qualifying mark, won the girls 19-and-under high jump with a clearance of 1.75m, same as second-placed Deijanae Bruce, with Zavien Bernard third with 1.70m.

Fifteen year-old Bernard has cleared 1.83m but is too young to compete at the World Under-20 for which athletes must be at least 16 in the year of the competition.