Top junior stars named for World Youth Champs

Jahzeel Murphy, ChrisAnn Gordon, Shericka Jackson, Federick Dacres and Christania Williams are some of the heavyweights that have been named to Jamaica's 16-member team to the 7th IAAF World Youth Championships (WYC), which is scheduled for Lille, France, July 6-10.

The five are the current world leaders in their respective events, and are expected to lead Jamaica's medal hunt in France. However, there are some concerns about the number of athletes selected to represent the country, with several key athletes not listed on the list which was distributed to the media by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) yesterday afternoon.

World number three and number four-ranked 100m hurdlers Megan Simmonds and Chrisdale McCarthy were not selected among the females, while double Carifta medalist Jevaughn Minzie and sprint hurdler Tyler Mason, who has only been bettered by three men in the world this year, have all been excluded.

The team, which will be looking to better the two medals that the country mined at the last WYC, two years ago in Brixen, Italy, will be coached by St Andrew High's Leacroft Bolt, who also led Jamaica's team to the recent Carifta Games held in Montego Bay.

When contacted, coach Bolt could not give a comment on the make-up of the team, stating that he had not at that point seen the official list himself.

Murphy, the Carifta Under-20 100m champion, will be looking to shake off yet another injury concern and deliver on his world-leading 10.27 seconds pedigree, while Odean Skeen, who struck gold in the event at last year's inaugural Youth Olympic Games, will also be eyeing the gold-medal spot in the event.

Skeen, who himself has been battling injuries for much of this season, suffered two surprise losses at the recent JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Junior Championships to Odail Todd (21.08), who has been selected for the 200m, is the second fastest 100m youth in the world, with a season's best of 10.41 seconds, recorded last month at a JAAA All-Comers meet.

Jamaica boasts another world leader in discus thrower Federick Dacres, who is the only youth athlete to have hurled over 66m this year, with a best of 66.42.

The management team is completed by Trevor 'TC' Campbell, Tricia Gayle (assistant manager), Michael McIntosh (coach), David Riley (coach) and Dr Winston Dawes (team doctor).

Team:

Girls: Simoya Campbell, Kedisha Dallas, Marleena Eubanks, ChrisAnn Gordon, Gleneve Grange, Shericka Jackson, Olivia James, Diana Johnson, Chanice Porter, Christania Williams.

Boys: Omar McLeod, Jahzeel Murphy, Odean Skeen, Odail Todd, Lennox Williams, Clive Pullen, Federick Dacres.