Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Schillonie Calvert: Down for the girls' Under-20 100m. - FILE
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad:
FORMER UNDER-17 high jump champion Alain Bailey and Nicholas Gordon will be the first Jamaicans in action on today's opening day of the 2006 Central America and Caribbean (CAC) track and field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Bailey, who departs shortly for the University of Arkansas, along with Gordon will contest the boys' Under-20 long jump.
Bailey, who helped Kingston College to five of their past six Boys' Champs titles, has a season best of 7.56 metres, and Gordon, who leapt 7.16m at the National Championships, should give Jamaica a good start.
Yohan Blake, along with Schillonie Calvert and Anastasia Le-Roy, are down for the boys' and girls' Under-20 100m, respectively.
Carrie Russell and Danielle Jeffery are listed for the girls' Under-17 event.
LEADING JAMAICA'S CHARGE
Later in the morning session, World Junior Championships bronze medallist Sherene Pinnock and Bryan Steel and Josef Robertson are down for the girls' and boys' Under-20 400m hurdles, respectively.
Shana-Gay Tracey should lead Jamaica's charge in the Under-17 300m hurdles.
In the afternoon session, the quarter milers, CAC Senior Championships mile relay gold medallist Sonita Sutherland and Bobbie-gaye Wilkins, along with Allodin Fothergill in the Under-20 category and Latoya McDermott in the Under-17 section will race.
With regular changes to the schedule, Jamaica's head coach, John Mair, was unable to assess the chances of the team on today's opening day.
However, he said he had a great group of athletes and they were expected to do very well.
"They are positive and I think it will show on the track tomorrow (today)," the former Olympian said.
