Duece Carter of Calabar High falls to the ground during the boys' Under-20 110m hurdles on yesterday's final day of the Carifta Games Trials at the National Stadium East Complex. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
On a windy day at the National Stadium East Complex, the nation's top junior athletes fought gallantly for places on Jamaica's Carifta Games team.
On yesterday's final day of the two-day trials, the wind was problematic and the high jump bar was blown away during an athlete's approach. It later forced the organisers to move the girls' Under-17 long jump competition inside the National Stadium.
In the heats of the 200m, the wind at one stage was negative 7.9m/s. World Youth 200m champion, Ramone McKenzie, had difficulty in his race, run in a 7.4m/s headwind.
Meanwhile, Dexter Lee, the World Junior 100m champion of Herbert Morrison, bounced back from his 100m disappointment to finish second in the 200m behind McKenzie.
Topping the field
Lee was timed in 22.19 behind McKenzie, who topped the field in 22.01, again fighting a strong 5.1m/s headwind.
In the girls' section, Vere dominated both races. Celia Walters (24.40) and Jura Levy (24.81) finished one-two in the Under-2o division, while Deandre Whitehorne (24.56) beat Shericka Jackson (24.59) for top spots in the Under-17 field.
Jazeel Murphy, the 100m champion from Bridgeport, completed the double with a 22.58 200m victory over Calabar's Travis Drummond (22.87).
The 400m races were hot. Jodi-Ann Muir of Wolmer's rose to the occasion with a personal-best 53.91 to beat her teammate, Danielle Dowie (54.53), and Latoya McDermott (54.82).
In the boys' Under-20 400m, Ricardo Powell of Calabar had a workmanlike 46.96 seconds win over Akino Ming of Kingston College (47.00).
Manchester High's Sandrae Farquharson, who has been impressive all season, had an easy 54.17 win over Jackson (55.48) in the Under-17 girls' 400m.
St George's Jermaine Fyffe (48.94) beat Jovan Williams of St Jago (49.31) in the Under-17 boys' event.
In the 1500m, Sharlene Brown of Manchester High (4:50.42) and Kimolidi Omeally of the University of Technology (UTech - 4:08.37) took the girls' and boys' Under-20 events, respectively.
Good run
Petrene Plummer of Holmwood (4:46.79) beat St Jago's Shevel McDonald (4:47.22) in the girls' Under-17 1500m, while Waquar DaCosta of Jamaica College (4:22.98) finished ahead of Philmour Williams of Holmwood (4:23.37) for the boys' crown.
Kaymarie Jones of UTech ran into a strong 5.2m/s headwind, but won the 100m hurdles for Under-20 girls in 14.61 ahead of Immaculate's Samantha Elliott (14.80), while Tatian Wolfe of Alpha (14.82) beat Edwin Allen's Keenan Davis (14.84) in the girls' Under-17 100m hurdles.
On the boys' side, Joel Whyte of St Jago (15.48) beat KC's Kimarley Henry (15.65) in a 6.4m/s headwind for the boys' Under-20 110m hurdles title. The KC pair of Lemmar Wilson (13.61) and Stefan Fennell (13.68) were the top finishers in the Under-17 100m hurdles.
In the field events, Marlon Thompson of Calabar (7.10m) took the boys' Under-20 long jump; David Thompson of St Jago (1.90m) was victorious in the Under-17 boys' high jump; Kellion Knibb of St Jago (39.96) won the girls' Under-17 discus; Micara Vassell of St Hugh's (12.64m) took the girls' Under-20 shot put; Odane Chrisholm of St Jago (16.51m) topped the Under-20 boys' shot put field; and Rochelle Reid of St Elizabeth Tech (1.70) took the girls' Under-20 high jump.