Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
WELLINGTON
JAMAICA'S MOST anticipated high school event, the VMBS Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships begins today at the National Stadium. Action starts at 8:30 a.m.
Over the next four days, some 93 girls and 91 boys teams comprising more than 2,500 athletes are expected to be on show in what experts predict to be four glorious days full of non-stop excitement.
Kingston College (KC) and Holmwood Technical are the defending boys and girls champions respectively.
While the boys' title appears headed back to North Street with Calabar High and Jamaica College filling the runners-up spots, the girls' race is expected to be very close.
Vere Technical and St. Jago girls are the teams gunning to dethrone Holmwood. St. Jago, based on the depth in all classes that they displayed at the recent Gibson Relays are the slight favourites, but no-one should be surprised if the top prize goes to either Vere or Holmwood.
HEAVY SCORE
Holmwood's strength is in Classes One and Two and they will need to score heavily among the senior girls to retain their title.
St. Jago and Vere should get most of their points in the lower classes but both will be jostling for points with St. Andrew High, Manchester High, Immaculate and Edwin Allen and this could help the chances of Holmwood.
Holmwood will be led by Anneisha McLaughlin and Sonita Sutherland in Class One. McLaughlin is likely to compete in the 100m and 200m and Sutherland the 400m hurdles open. Both could also compete in the Class One 4x100m and the 4x400m open.
Other Class One athletes who could play major roles for Holmwood are Nyoka Cole and Rosemarie White.
Cole could accompany accompany McLaughlin in the 100m and 200m and Sutherland in the 400m while White stands a good chance of winning the Class One long jump and heptathlon Open.
The Christiana-based school should also score very well in Class Two with sprinters Schillonie Calvert and Anastasia Le-Roy backed up by middle distance runners Bobbie-Gaye Wilkins and Vanessa Boyd.
St. Jago could earn most of their points in Class Two. Leading the charge in this area is CAC Under-17 100m hurdles champion Natasha Ruddock, who is also down for the long jump, 100m and sprint relay.
There is also Latoya King, who along with Calvert and Le-Roy should provide excitement in the sprints.
In Class Four, they have Tanya Bryan, Tanya Collier, Samatha Woodburn, Annakaye James and Monifa Constant.
Sudian Davis, Kaydene Mason and Nickorda Patterson are the leading Class One sprinters for St. Jago.
Vere's drive for championship honours will be led by the experienced Indira Spence in the Class One 100m, 200m and 100m hurdles.
The Clarendon-based Vere look good in Class Three. Teneisha Davis, Samilla Cousins and Jura Levy are their hot shots.
In Class Four, Lanice Hall, one of the fastest girls over 100m and 200m will be seeking the sprint double. She is also down to compete in the 70m as she has the fastest time for this event.
Although Sharneter Stewart may not be in action, Kimberly Williams, who is expected to win the long and triple jumps, should lead Class Two, along with Petrona Layne who is expected to be a top contender in the 800m and 1500m for Class Two girls.
On the boys' side, KC, known over the years for their strength in the field events, should be stronger on the track this year.
In the field, they will be led by Class Two high jumper Omari Dookie, along with Class One Alain Bailey, Keiton Wilson and Carlos Mattis.
Andre Wellington, Leford Green (400m, 400m hurdles) and Keron Thomas are expected to lead Class One on the track, while Kawayne Gervis is expected to shine in Class Two.
According to KC's head coach Lennox Graham, his Class Three is unpredictable, but he expects points.
Calabar who were considered the main threats to KC have been affected badly by injuries.
Josef Robertson, who won the 400m and 400m hurdles last season, Akeil Facey, Demar Ricketts and Shavar Clarke, should carry the flag for the Red Hills Road-based boys. There is also Sean Robinson, who won the Class Three 800m last year and Nicholas Gordon, the Class Two long jump champion.
