New men’s 400m champion to be crowned

A new national men’s 400m champion will be crowned, while Stephenie-Ann McPherson will hope for a successful title defence as the JAAA National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships conclude today at the National Stadium.

Yesterday’s third day saw at least one shock in the men’s 400-metre semi-finals as reigning champion Sean Bailey failed to qualify for this afternoon’s final.

While not a shock, there was disappointment that former national champion and record holder Rusheen McDonald also failed to qualify.

It was Jevaughn Powell, who qualified fastest among the field, clocking 45.38 seconds to win his semi-final heat ahead of Karayme Bartley, who was second in 45.67.

Class One ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics champion Gregory Prince will make his first senior national 400m men’s final after finishing third in 45.70. McDonald finished fifth with 45.80, while Bailey finished eighth in 48.63.

The second semi-final saw the final five finalists advance with Anthony Cox leading the field with a time of 45.43.

Nathon Allen was second in 45.52 and Ackeem Bloomfield, third in 45.59. Tokyo Olympic games finalists Christopher Taylor and Olympic Games relay silver medallist, Javon Francis, got through as the last two qualifiers, with times of 45.67 and 45.70, respectively.

Among the women, MVP’s McPherson secured her spot in today’s final but will be cautious about Texas A&M’s Charokee Young, the fastest Jamaican and world number two this year. Young has the fastest time among the finalists, clocking 50.19 to win her semi-final heat.

McPherson was next, clocking 50.67, finishing behind Young in that heat.

Candice McCleod of Pelicans Track Club had the third-fastest time, clocking 50.85 to win her semi-final heat, while University of Texas’ Stacy-Ann Williams had the fourth-fastest time in the field, clocking 50.87. Junelle Bromfield, Roneisha McGregor, Tiffany James-Rose and Shiann Salmon complete the field in the final.

World Championship silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts captured her fourth women’s triple jump title with a winning jump of 14.27 metres, which she made on her first attempt.

Ackelia Smith of the University of Texas was second in 13.93 while Kimberly Willaims was third in 13.28. Ricketts had already met the World Championship qualifying standard of 14.32, with a jump of 14.52 on June 18.

LAWRENCE WINS DISCUS

Meanwhile, among the juniors, Calabar’s Kobe Lawrence captured the Under-20 Boys discus title with a winning throw of 62.67 metres. Edwin Allen’s Christopher Young was second in 58.47 and Ricardo Hayles of Clarendon College was third in 55.98

Vere Technical’s Torian Caven won the Girls Under-20 High Jump title with a height of 1.75 metres. Deijanae Bruce of Edwin Allen was second in 1.70, while her teammate Rasheda Samuels finished third, also with 1.70, but needed one more attempt than Bruce to clear the height.

Demario Allen took the Under-20 Boys’ Pole Vault title with a height of 4.10 while the Calabar High duo of Lenworth Chung and Leighton Johnson shared the silver medal after both cleared 3.10 on their final attempts.

William Knibb’s Oneika Brissett, qualified for today’s Under-20 Girls’ 400-metre final, clocking 54.30 in the semi-final, the fastest time among the eight finalists. Rickiann Russell of Holmwood Technical had the second-fastest time with 54.56, while Carifta Games Under-20 champion Kaylia Kelly had the third-fastest time with 54.80.

In the Boys’ Under-20 400, Carfita Games champion Delano Kennedy qualified for the final, clocking 47.14, the fastest time among the finalists, and met the World Under-20 qualifying standard of 47.60.

Kingston College’s Shaemar Uter had the second-fastest time with 47.68 while Excelsior’s Malachi Johnson had the third-fastest time with 47.70.