Todd wins Under-18 100m

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Odail Todd got the better of Odean Skeen in the under-18 boys' 100m final inside the National Stadium yesterday, while Christina Williams made light work of her competition at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Junior Championships.

Todd and Skeen - the Youth Olympic champion - carried each other to the line in a pedestrian 10.81 and 10.84 respectively, clearly hampered by a strong headwind of -4.5 m/s. Jevaughn Minzie was third in 11.11.

"I just wanted to get out of the blocks and run a good drive phase," said Skeen while Todd, who will be turning out for his 200m pet event later today, echoed: "I am pleased, I just wanted a good start and I got that."

The under-20 men were even slower, with Everton Clarke, 10.99, bettering Chad Hinds 11.02 and Nathane Blake-Mitchell, 11.03. They too had to contend with a negative wind reading of -4.2 m/s.

Williams, the fastest youth female athlete in the world with an 11.39 timing, blew away her competition with a comfortable 11.61 clocking. The Holmwood Technical pair of Dianna Johnson, 12.07, and Kedisha Dallas, 12.09 were second and third respectively.

impressive performance

Wolmer's high jump stand-out Christoff Bryan, the Class-Two champion, turned in one of the more impressive performances at the championships, matching his personal best after clearing 2.10m to take the boys' under-18 high jump. Bryan, who went after 2.13m, barely brushed the bar on his second attempt but was nonetheless pleased with his outing.

"It was a good performance, I'm quite happy with the result. I'll just have to continue training and go out there and do my best," said Bryan who rather interestingly, is too young to compete at any of the major youth meets this summer.

Bryan is actually too young to meet the participation criteria for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France, which strictly caters to 16 and 17 year-olds while the Junior Pan Am regulations state that no athlete younger than 16 as at December 31 can compete at the championships. Bryan celebrated his 15th birthday earlier this year.

National girls' class-two champion Janieve Russell (Holmwood) pulled an upset in the Under-20 girls long jump, winning ahead of Rochelle Farquharson of STETHS with a best jump of 6.19m (wind 3.7 m/s) to the latter's 5.89m (5.1 m/s). Camperdown's Nickevea Wilson finished third with a mark of 5.84 (7.5 m/s).

Manchester High's Chanice Porter wasn't at her best but was good enough to win the girls Under-18 high jump final on count-back at the 1.80m mark, which was also posted by Covenant of Mercy's Krista Gay Taylor. Campion's Donieke Daniels finished third with a mark of 1.55m.

Kingston College's Keniel Grant won the under-20 men's long jump with a mark of 7.30 and 'hurricane force' winds of 7.0 m/s. Orneldo Thomas (Old Harbour) 7.06m (3.5 m/s) with Munro's Adam Cummings finishing third with 6.88m (4.6 m/s).