THROWERS DOMINATE EXCITING FIRST AT CHAMPS

In a country where the sprints take pride of place, two throwers stole the spotlight on the first day of Champs 100 at the National Stadium.
There was also a preview of what is to come in the sprints where some exciting battles lie ahead.
Candecea Bernard of St. Hugh’s High broke Holmwood Technical’s Salcia Slack’s record of 45.13 metres by more than a metre setting a new mark of 46.76 metres.
For those following Bernard’s progress all season, her performance came as no surprise as she has been throwing well beyond the Champs record all season.
Her coach Michael Vassell had revealed earlier this season that his charge is aiming to qualify for the World Juniors.
On the boy’s side, it was also no surprise when Calabar’s Chad Wright shattered the Class 1 boys equivalent when he smashed his teammate Travis Smikle’s record of 51.43m.
Wright threw 52.16m which is way below what he and Smikle have thrown this season. Both athletes, under the guidance of coach Julian Robinson, also have the World Juniors in their sights and they are aiming to hurl discuss beyond 60 metres by the time this competition concludes on Day 2. The battle between teammates shpuld be exciting.
Wolmer’s Kamal Fuller took the Boys Long Jump with a decent leap of 7.45metres. Second place also went to Wolmer’s as Ramone Bailey leaped to 7.38 metres. Campion’s Damon McLean was well beaten into third as he recorded 7.09metres.
In the Girls Triple Jump defending champion Rochelle Farquharson took the gold with a leap of 13.20 metres and she was followed by a pair of Wolmer’s athletes – Samantha Francis and Janielle Facey who had best jumps of 12.68m and 12.50m respectively.
The first day of Champs was hot and I am not refering to the competition on the track. It was hot and humid so the showers that arrived mid to late afternoon was quite welcome by most; those who were not participating in the relays.
Edwin Allen, whose Class 3 girls were among the favourites to win, lost that chance after they botched the baton exchange on the anchor; this while leading by more than 10 metres and under no pressure.
Jamaica College did the same on the first exchange of the Boys Class 2, as did Wolmer’s in the Boys’s Class One. Each of these teams are said to be in the hunt for the title this year but when one is coming from more than 200 points down as is the case with Edwin Allen or almost 100 points down as is the case with Wolmer’s these are the mistake they can little afford.
Day 2, today, promises to be even more exciting with the semi-finals of the 200 metres and several other finals in store.
Today is promising to be another good and exciting day.