Jamaicans set for tough Jr Pan Am fight

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

MIRAMAR, FLORIDA:

WHEN the Junior Pan Am Championships gets under way tomorrow in Miramar, some of the country's top young athletes will be hoping to continue where those at the IAAF World Youth Championships (WYC) left off, by continuing with the good performances.

Although this is more of a regional meet, our athletes will not be left off the hook, as powerhouse the United States, who topped the recent WYC in Lille, France, will be on their home soil and have assembled a strong 79-member team, which comprises several leading athletes from the collegiate level.

Two years ago in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica finished fourth overall in the medal table with 14 medals - three gold, three silver and eight bronze. The United States, with 56 medals, which included 21 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze, dominated the Championships and, based on the performances of their athletes at their recent National Championships, they look well set for another dominating performance.

On paper, the Jamaican team does not look as strong as that of former years as, with injuries to the likes of Jazeel Murphy and Odean Skeen and with the likes of Kemar Bailey-Cole, Julian Forte, Ristananna Tracy, Christania Williams, Shericka Jackson, Olivia James and Chanice Porter not in the line-up, it is going to take a yeoman effort from the others to match the performances of two years ago.

Beside the United States, The Bahamas are also expected to give the Jamaicans something to think about.

On the male side, the country's best hope for gold will come from thrower Traves Smikle in the discus event. Smikle, who will be joined in the event by his Calabar High teammate, Fedrick Dacres - the recently crowned WYC champion in the event. Two years ago, Smikle captured bronze in the event with 57.18 metres where the United States' Finley Mason won the gold with a meet record of 65.34 metres.

Best hopes

In the remaining events, among the males the Jamaicans will have to lift their performances to be among the medals, especially in the sprints where the United States are loaded.

On the female side, the likes of Danielle Dowie, Rochelle Farqhuarson, Kimberly Williamson and Chrisann Gordon are our best hopes of striking gold medals. Dowie was a medallist two years ago in the 400 metres hurdles where she copped the bronze after finishing third. She has a glorious chance of going two places better and is the No. 2 ranked athlete in her event, with her season best of 57.33 seconds done in Austin, Texas earlier in the season. Dowie, who just completed her freshman year at the University of Texas, has the most to fear from Katrina Seymour of The Bahamas, who recently clocked 57.24 seconds at the Senior CAC Championships in Puerto Rico to be the top seed in the event. This is one of the weakest events for the United States at the Championships, and Dowie could take advantage of this and go all the way.

Disappointment

Farquharson, the former St Elizabeth Technical athlete who also just completed her freshman year at Mississippi State University, could go all the way in the girls' long jump, as her season best of 6.48 metres has her at the top of the list.

National junior high jump record holder, Williamson out of Edwin Allen High, following her disappointment in not making the Carifta team, could crown herself in glory in the girls' high jump where she, along with the United States' Shanay Briscoe, is expected to have a keen battle for the gold. Williams will be hoping to reproduce her national junior record height of 1.88 metres done at G.C. Foster College in February, as Briscoe is also in top form following her 1.88 metres clearance done a few weeks ago at the United States junior trials.

After her disappointment at the World Youth where she failed to medal in the girls' 400 metres after being the top seed in the event with a personal best 51.62 seconds, Holmwood Technical's Gordon will be hoping for redemption in the event.