KINGSTON, Jamaica—Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose, who will be seeking to upgrade her silver medal from last year, was second in qualifying in the Girls’ Class 2 1500m as the 115th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships which started on Tuesday morning at the National Stadium.

Rose ran 4:54.19 seconds to win her heat as Edwin Allen High’s Kevongaye Fowler won her heat with 4:50.12 seconds, the best overall with Hydel High’s Rihanna Morgan third overall with 4:51.45 seconds.

Last year’s Class 3 champion Alikay Reynolds of Alphansus Davis High is also through with 4:54.24 seconds.

Denique Palmer, who was second last year, leads the qualifiers for the Class 3 finals after running 4:59.33 seconds.

Palmer, who has run 4:47.36 seconds already this year, won the first heat and is followed in the qualifying by Holmwood Technical’s Ashley Shepherd who was sixth last year, and ran 5:02.53 seconds and Vere Technical’s Driana Frater, who ran 5:00.47 seconds.

Shameika Dennis of St Elizabeth Technical, who was a finalists last year, also advanced as well as Kerita Rose of Holmwood Technical and Sydney Pagon High’s Alexia Palmer.

-Paul Reid