Led by jumpers Akela Jones and Charles Greaves, the field event athletes came to the fore when the curtain came down on the Louis Lynch Championships last Sunday night at the National Stadium.
In her first year in the Under-20 division, Jones leaped 6.28 metres in the long jump, qualifying for the CARIFTA Games, Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Juniors, World Juniors and even the NACAC Under-23 Championships for which she is ineligible.
Jones might have done better, but her momentum was cut when she spiked her left hand near the wrist and had to leave the competition area to have it dressed.
Greaves, who was jumping just over 14 metres at this time last year, had a personal best 15.24m in the Under-20 boys’ triple jump to make up for falling short in the long jump the previous night, also good for CAC.
In the Under-17 boys’ shot put, Romario Antoine made the mark with 14.65 metres and Leah Bannister, who is in her final year of eligibility, did the same with 41.73m in the Under-20 girls’ discus.
They will be joining the consistent Tristan Whitehall (15.11) and javelin throwers Janeill Craigg (59.22) and Nicoliai Bovelle who had a personal best 63.57.
Olympic hopeful Thorrold Murray fell short of the “B” standard by eight centimetres, clearing 2.20 metres in the men’s high jump.
He was quite buoyed by the performance, but is mindful of limited chances to qualify this season. Klode Thompson was also short of CARIFTA by five centimetres with his win at 2.05m.
There were three qualifiers on the track, two in the same event.
Kion Joseph won the 400m hurdles in 53.14 seconds, well inside the required 53.70 and 53.30 for CAC after a fast finish. Tramaine Maloney, who controlled the first part of the race, was second in 53.33 to book his spot.
The final qualifier was Levi Cadogan who made up for his false start in the 100m with 21.53, shy of the CARIFTA mark, but good for the 21.6 for CAC Under-18.
Despite some impressive runs, both Sonia Gaskin (2:13.58) and John Haynes (1:58.05) were short of qualifying.
Mario Burke won the Under boys’ 200m in 22.12, unable to go all out after picking up a niggle in the semis. Leah Barker took the girls’ race in 24.93 and Ariel Jackson the women’s in 24.46.
Danielle Scantlebury (45.79) won the Under-17 girls’ 300m hurdles from a very flat looking Jalisa Burrowes (48.26) and Ramarco Thomspon took the boys’ race in 57.65, all outside of the required marks.
To date, 11 athletes have met the CARIFTA standard, seven for CAC Juniors and one for World Juniors.
No one has met the Olympic standard in 2012.
