Riley confident ahead of World U20 start

DAVID RILEY, technical leader of Jamaica’s athletics team to the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, is quietly confident that the country can better previous medal hauls this year.

The Jamaicans won 11 medals at the World U20s in Nairobi, Kenya in 2020. In that haul, the Jamaicans copped three gold, six silver and two bronze medals. The Jamaicans have again assembled a very strong team for the championships, which includes the defending 100 metres champion Tina Clayton.

Riley said the team is buzzing with confidence and the coaching staff is upbeat about the potential for good performances at the August 1-6 championships.

“The expectations are for us to do much better than we did last year,” said Riley.

“I think we can surpass last year’s total because the athletes are in good shape and they have been preparing and practising. So it is just to go out there and be very confident and demonstrate the level of fitness that they have,” he said.

“We had three camps, two of them were four days, one of them was three days. So we have been able to get the athletes in a team environment and we have been able to assist them in terms of their overall preparations,” Riley said.

“So, the camps serve their purpose and we are now ready to go and demonstrate what we have been preparing ourselves for all year.”

robert.bailey@gleanerjm.com

Girls:

Tina Clayton, Serena Cole, Tia Clayton, Brianna Lyston, Alana Reid, Dajanae Daley, Rickiann Russell, Oneika Brissett, Rushana Dwyer, Kerrica Hill, Alexis James, Oneka Wilson, Oneika McAnuff, Safhia Hinds, Alliah Baker, Machaeda Linton, Britannia Johnson, Cedricka Williams, Abigail Martin.

Boys: Sandrey Davison, Bougwahgie Nkrumie, Mark-Anthony Daley, Bryan Levell, David Lynch, Shaemar Uter, Delano Kennedy, Shemar Palmer, J’Voughnn Blake, Adrian Nethersole, Dishaun Lamb, Demario Prince, Roshawn Clarke, Antonio Forbes, Jahmani Smith, Jaydon Hibbert, Rayon Smith, Christopher Young, Kobe Lawrence, Altwayne Bedward.