By Melton Williams,
Staff Reporter
RED-HOT favourites Vere Technical, highly fancied to defend their girls' title at the 2001 VMBS Boys and Girls championships, have made a giant step towards that feat after the second day of the five-day spectacle at the National Stadium.
After four finals the Clarendon-based school have surged into the lead with 34 points and have put themselves in a strong position to qualify for a high percentage of the finals.
St. Andrew High are in second position with 19 1/2 points. The top 10 is completed by Manchester (13), St. Jago (10 1/2), Wolmers (9), St. Elizabeth Technical and Immaculate (8), William Knibb (7), Mannings and Meadowbrook (6).
The depth of the Vere Technical aggregation was in evidence yesterday as they took gold medals in Class 3 high jump and the Class 1 discus and silver in the triple jump open final, which was won by Holmwood Technical's Althea Duncan with a leap of 12.16m.
Keshelia Reid, as expected, won the Class 1 discus with a throw of 38.72m, ahead of Shawna Lee Jenkins (35.80m) and Natalee Pessoa (35.53), both from Manchester High.
But while Reid was highly fancied to take honours, her teammate Camiesha Binns upstaged the overwhelming favourite Anna-Kay Campbell of St. Andrew High to take the gold medal in the Class 3 high jump, clearing 1.65m. Campbell finished a disappointing fifth. Immaculate's Tiffany Deans, Susan Brown of Meadowbrook and Sakina Beaumont of St. Andrew High all cleared 1.60m.
However, the strongest message was sent by St. Jago's 'star girl' Melanie Walker who smashed the girls 400m open hurdle in the heats to advance to today's final. Walker stopped the clock at 58.13. The previous record of 58.20 was recorded by Vere Technical's Patricia Hall in 1999. Hall also qualified for the final, winning her heat in 59.55 ahead of Camille Robinson of Christiana Comprehensive.
Running a very relaxed race, Walker the bronze medalist in the 400m hurdles at last year's World Junior Championships, virtually made all to win heat 1 well ahead of Carlene Robinson (1:01.44) and Veronica Patterson of Vere Technical.
(1:01.62).
Vere Technical's trump card, Veronica Campbell who is expected to win the Class 1 sprint double easily has advanced to tomorrow's 100m semi-final with the fastest qualifying time of 11.85m. Holmwood Technical's Nadine Palmer advanced with 11.93 and Vere Technical's Kadine Dixon had the third fastest time of 12.16.
Campbell, the world fastest female junior sprinter will contest today's 200m semi-final having secured the best qualifying time of 23.67 on Tuesday's first day.
In the Class 2 100m, the Vere pair of Simone Facey and Oneecia Smikle have advanced with the two fastest times. Simone did 12.05 to win her heat while Smikle stopped the clock at 12.19.
Holmwood Technical's Nyoka Cole and Samantha Henry of Queen's have the fastest qualifying times in the 100m Class 3 and Class 4 respectively. Cole advanced to the semi-final with a time of 12.19 and Henry took Class 4 honours with a best time of 12.51.
Six other girls' finals are scheduled for today, along with the 800m and 200m semi-finals.
