McLaughlin - File WORLD YOUTH Championships 200 metres gold medallists Usain Bolt and Anneisha McLaughlin head Jamaica's team which leaves the island today for the 12th Pan-American Junior Athletic Championships in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The team also includes national high jump junior record holder Peaches Roach of Alpha, World Junior Championships 100m silver medallist Simone Facey and Zara Northover and Olutolla Sakenhinde who are based in the United States.
Jamaica's head coach, Patrick Johnson, is optimistic the team will do well.
"As with all Jamaican teams, we are expected to do very well," Johnson said.
However, he said, "we don't want to start counting medals, because the US is coming with a very strong team".
The squad
GIRLS: Anneisha McLaughlin, Sonita Sutherland, Shaunette Davidson, Peta-Gaye Beckford, Althea Duncan (Holmwood); Nadina Marsh (St. Jago); Sherone Simpson, Jody Powell, Carlene Robinson, Camille Robinson (Manchester); Keisha Brown, Simone Facey (Vere); Latoya Greaves (The Quuens); Kayan Thompson (Edwin Allen); Nickeisha Anderson (Herbert Morrison); Maxine Foster (Lewisville); Peaches Roach (Alpha); Kedine Geddes (Tacius Golding); Zara Northover (US).
BOYS: Kimani Kirton, Fabian Morgan, Kimani Williams, Carlos Mattis (KC); Davian Parker, Wainard Talbert (Holmwood); Winston Hutton (Camperdown); Tesfa Latty (St. George's); Usain Bolt (William Knibb); Jermaine Banton (Vere); Mellard Brown (Glengoffe); Isa Phillips (STATHS); Wilbert Walker (Morant Bay); Adrian Cephas (Calabar); Kiel Brown (Herbert Morrison); Olutolla Sakenhinde (US); Rohan Phipps (Tivoli).
