JAAA names team to NACAC championships
A number of the Jamaican athletes who will be competing at this weekend’s NACAC Under-18/Under-23 Championships in Costa Rica could be seeking to improve their chances of being named on the team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August.
National high jump champion Romaine Beckford, as well as 400m finalists Zandrion Barnes and D’Andre Anderson were included in the 65-member team named by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) that will compete in the Under-18 and Under-23 age groups for both genders.
The list of athletes representing Jamaica was only released on Monday morning. It is said that team members and officials started leaving for Costa Rica on Monday for Thursday’s start of the championships.
Beckford, who won both NCAA indoor and outdoor titles, on Monday was announced to have switched from the University of South Florida to the University of Arkansas for his final season of eligibility. He could use the opportunity at the NACAC event to get a qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships.
He is 25th in the World Ranking Quota with his lifetime best of 2.27m set this year and would need to clear 2.32m to be sure of a place in the first round at the World Championships.
Barnes is the fourth Jamaican man to secure the qualifying time for the men’s 400m after champion Sean Bailey and runner-up Antonio Watson, when he ran 44.90 seconds at the Racers Grand Prix in June.
The other Jamaican with the qualifying mark is Christoper Taylor, but he has been provisionally suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency and could miss the Championships.
Barnes was only sixth at the national trials ahead of Anderson.
Teams: Under-18 female — Briana Campbell, Sabrina Dockery, Shanoya Douglas, Canelia Hope, Chennai Jarrett, Rhianna Lewis, Able Mills, Shamoyea Morris, Jaeda Robinson, Rohanna Sudlow, Shelly-Ann Taylor, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Abigail Wolfe, Abrina Wright
Under-23 female — Shana Kaye Anderson, Shaquena Foote, Mickaell Moodie, Crystal Morrison, Rhianna Phipps, Joanne Reid, Danielle Sloley, Garriel White, Cedricka Williams, Damali Williams
Under-18 male — Benjamin Berry, Rashid Bowen, Kahiem Carby, Gary Card, Michael-Andre Edwards, Anthony Hall, Shavan Jarrett, Romario Jibbison, Jabari Matheson, Ainsley McGregor, Joel Morgan, Chavez Penn, Antonio Powell, Joseph Salmon, Javontae Smith, Trevoy Smith, Tramaine Todd, Omaire Williamson, Joshua Wint, Daneil Wright
Under-23 male — D’Andre Anderson, Zandrion Barnes, Romaine Beckford, Javorne Dunkley, Demar Francis, Jehlani Gordon, Jeheem Hayles, Reheem Hayles, Delano Kennedy, Adrian Kerr, Kavian Kerr, Kobe Lawrence, Bryan Levell, Alexavier Monfries, Ralford Mullings, Gregory Prince, Jordan Turner, Enrique Webster, Travis Williams, Assinie Wilson, Jordani Woodley
Management:
Manager — Keith Wellington
Assistant managers — George Stone and Cherine Richards
Technical Director — David Riley
Coaches — Michael Carr, Leon Powell, Jermaine Hamilton, Ines Turner, Marlon Gayle and Marvin James
Physician — Dr Kevin Jones
Masseur — Michael Chambers
Masseuse — Simone James