By Elton Tucker,
Asst. Sport Editor
THE 2001 VMBS Boys and Girls Championships promises to be one of the most competitive in recent years.
More than 2,400 boys and girls will be in action over five days starting tomorrow at the National Stadium as the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) stages its third joint championships.
Defending champions Vere Technical (girls) and Jamaica College are strongly fancied to retain the titles they won last year. Vere will, however, be strongly challenged by St. Jago High and Holmwood Technical while JC have a lot to fear from St. Jago's boys.
JC's coach Michael Clarke is quietly confident he can emerge triumphant come Saturday night although yesterday he admitted that his team was perhaps not as strong as last year.
"Our chances are just as good as any of the other schools and there is a high possibility we can defend successfully," Clarke said.
Clarke expects to get most points in Class 2 where JC are very strong. Multi-talented Patrick Lee who starred at the recent Carifta Trials is expected to be the leading points getter. Lee will run in the 200m, 400m, sprint hurdle, 4x100m and according to Clarke 'possibly the 4x400m'. Kemar Emmanuel will compete in the 100m, 4x100m and long jump and Trevado Lobban will go for the sprint double.
The coach's son Sekou who is back to his best after a back problem, will lead the charge in Class 1 where he will run the 400m. Sekou is also expected to be a key member of the Class 1 4x100m and open 4x400m relays. Former Camperdown star Jermaine Allen will run the 100 and 200m while Dixley Simms is down for the 400m and 400m hurdles.
Clarke expects his main challenge to come from St. Jago.
The Spanish Town-based school has been knocking at the door for the past three years and there are strong whispers coming out of the St. Jago camp that coach Bert Cameron will clinch his first major success as a coach.
Sprinter Marvin Anderson who impressed at last year's World Junior Championships in Chile and who won the 100 metres at the recent Carifta Trials is the top man for St. Jago who have the best balanced team among the leading contenders.
In Class 1 St. Jago are expected to romp the 4x100m. At the recent Gibson Relays they looked unbeatable and Anderson, in the absence of the injured Omar Brown and JC's Winston Smith who has been ruled 'ineligible', is expected to have a battle royal with Vere Technical's Steve Mullings in the 100m and 200m.
St. Jago are also strong in the middle distances where Marvin Pinnock will lead the charge in Class 1 and in field events and hurdles. Orlando Barnett and Leonard McLeggon are expected to do well in the Class 2 sprint hurdles with McLeggon also down to throw the Class 2 shot put.
Vere Technical's girls do not appear to have the middle distance strength of former years but their depth and allround strength appears strong enough to put them ahead of their main rivals in the race for the girls title.
In early January Vere who are now coached by former Meadowbrook High coach Patrick Johnson were the leading school at the Ovaltine/JC meet finishing ahead of archrivals St. Jago and Holmwood Technical. At Central Championships Vere piled up an imposing 424 points to leave Holmwood well behind on 295. It will take a really herculean effort by either St. Jago or Holmwood to defeat the defending champions.
World junior champion Veronica Campbell is Vere's trump card. She is the world's fastest junior and should not be tested in either the 100 or 200 metres. She showed at the Carifta Trials that she is in top form with a facile victory in the 100m and should, like she did at the Gibson Relays, also ensure that Vere win the Class 1 4x100m.
Patricia Hall in the 400m and 400m hurdles open, Shereefa Lloyd in the sprints and Meleisha Spencer in the middle distances are the leading lights in Class 1.
In Class 2 Simone Facey who performed well at the Carifta Trials will seek the sprint double while Trude Ann Clarke is one of the leading lights in Class 3.
Vere have an outstanding Class 4 team and are expected to score heavily in all areas. At Gibson Relays they were strong favourites for the 4x100m (they ran 48.9 at Central Champs) but dropped the baton in the heats. Barring mishap they should not be beaten. Vere should also score heavily in the 100m, 200m, hurdles, long and high jumps.
Coach Raymond Graham of St. Jago High said his preparations were hampered by a late start but his girls appear to be 'peaking at the right time.'
Graham said his main strength is in the long jump in all classes. In Class 1 Graham expects a one, two finish.
"Roseann Hamilton and Jovanee Jarrett are the two best long jumpers in the island. Both have gone over 6.0m this season," Graham said. He also expected good performances from Peta Gaye Dunn in Class 2 and Tamara Francis in Class 3.
The St. Jago coach expects big things from his world junior representative Melaine Walker.
"I am seeking quality performances from Melaine this year so I am not going to burden her with too many events. She will only run the sprint and 400m hurdles. She is in terrific form and she could be the athlete of the meet," Graham said.
Graham is looking to turn the tables on Vere in the Class 4x100m and according to him he has 'readjusted' the team and is now confident they will win this weekend. The St. Jago coach is also hoping to defeat favourites Holmwood in the 4x400m as he has a 'surprise' for his rivals.
While not making any predictions on the overall championships Graham said the St. Jago girls were very confident they will do well and if they perform on the day will spring some surprises.
Holmwood Technical produced a number of quality performances last year and coach Maurice Wilson expects no less at this year's championships.
Wilson said yesterday his team was again strong in the top three classes but weak in Class 4.
"If champs was run in classes 1, 2 and 3 we would be champions," Wilson said.
Wilson who said his team got a lot of support from past students, current JAAA boss Pat Anderson and executive member Charlie Fuller expects top level performances in the Class 1 sprints and middle distances with Karen Gayle leading the charge.
In Class 2 he is looking to Shaunette Davidson (high jump, hurdles and 100m), Peta Gaye Beckford (long jump, shot and discus) and Sheryl Morgan (200m and 400m) to score heavily.
The star for Holmwood in Class 3 will be Anneisha McLaughlin an athlete who is being strongly touted as the best talent to emerge locally in recent years. McLaughlin will run the 200 and 400 in Class 3 but will also be a key member of the school's 4x400m team. Having run 52.31 second to win the Under 17 400m at the recent Carifta Trials McLaughlin is expected to smash the 53.77 record she set last year.
Wilson said he expected to score close to 250 points and the championships as this should ensure at least second place as according to him only Vere were capable of surpassing that total.
The Holmwood coach lamented the fact that his top sprinter Nadine Palmer would only be 80% fit for the championships.
"At her best three weeks ago anybody who wanted to beat her would have had to run 11.20," Wilson said.
The championships is not necessarily confined to the leading teams. Among the boys Calabar, Bridgeport, Holmwood Technical, Vere Technical, Wolmer's, Cornwall College and Munro College are expected to do very well.
In the race for the girls title Immaculate High, Queen's and St. Andrew High will have their own private battle for the Corporate Area crown. Former champions Manchester High, Edwin Allen Comprehensive and Christiana should also share some of of the spotlight.
