- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Jermaine Gonzales (left) sprints clear of World Junior 200 metres champion Usain Bolt to capture the 400m event in 46.81 seconds yesterday at the G.C. Foster College. Bolt was second in 47.82.
Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer
WORLD JUNIOR representative Peaches Roache of Alpha highlighted yesterday's closing day of the two-day Carifta Trials at the G.C. Foster College as she cleared the high jump bar at 1.86 metres to equal the national junior record set by former Vere Technical athlete Sheree Francis.
Roache, who has shown tremendous improvement, was once again involved in a keen battle with main rival Shaunette Davidson of Holmwood Technical in the Under 20 event. Showing more composure than her opponent, Roache scored a morale-boosting win going into the Boys and Girls Championships. Davidson took second with a respectful 1.83m with St. Jago High's Michelle Williamson posting a personal record of 1.78m for third.
The expected battle royal in the Boys Under 20 400 metres turned out to be a no contest as World Junior bronze medallist Jermaine Gonzales turned back the challenge of World Junior 200m champion Usain Bolt.
Drawn in lane four, Gonzales was out very fast while the lanky Bolt, drawn in lane seven, went out very slowly and Gonzales covered him easily. Coming into the straightaway it was all Gonzales as he won going away in 46.81 as Bolt finished second in 47.82 with Glengoffe's Mellard Brown finishing third in 47.93.
Several of the other athletes who represented Jamaica at last year's World Junior Championships shone brightly on the final day.
In the Girls Under 20 400 metres, St. Elizabeth Technical Davita Prendergast (54.28) turned back Manchester High's Camile Robinson (54.73) and the vastly improved Maxine Foster of Lewisville High grabbed third in 55.08.
In the Under 17 event, Holmwood Technical's Sonita Sutherlan recorded a faster time than the Under 20 Girls as her clocking was 54.15 as Vere Technical's Annabellea Reid took second in 54.24, also faster than the Under 20 winner.
St. Jago High School athletes dominated the Girls sprint hurdles by capturing the Under 17 and Under 20 events.
In the Under 17 event, Natasha won in 14.33 seconds, ahead of St. Andrew High's Tavia Burke in 14.56 seconds.
In the Under 20 section, World Junior representative, Nadine Marsh won in 13.71 seconds to turn back the challenge of Vere Technical's Keisha Brown (13.87) and Queen's Latoya Greaves (13.87) seconds.
Earlier in the 200 metres, Bolt underlined his class by romping to an easy victory in the Under 20 event for Boys. Showing a lot of class over his pet event. he cruised to a facile victory in 21.33 seconds as Camperdown Orion Nicely grabbed the silver by finishing second in 21.95 with Vere Technical Jermaine Barton finishing third in 22.03.
