By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor 
Left: Beverly McDonald... A favourite for the senior women's 100 metres and Michael McDonald... well set for 400 metres. - File
THE eagerly awaited National Junior and Senior Athletic Championships gets underway at the National Stadium today at 2.30 p.m.
Set for three days, the meet is the first to be held at the island's premier sporting venue since it was closed for major refurbishing October 22 last year ahead of next month's IAAF/Coca-Cola World Junior Championships in Athletics.
During the more than six months closure US$14 million was spent to lay a new Mundo track which is rated one of the best in the western hemisphere. Offices were constructed on three levels, four new long jump pits were erected on the bleachers side of the football field which has been graded to the same level as the marked eight-lane track.
In addition, the security fence which separates the grandstand and the cycle track has been significantly lowered to make the area more spectator friendly and to give an unimpeded view of the track to those who chose to sit at the lower levels of the main stand. Six rows of tables, overlooking the finish line, have also been erected in the grandstand to accommodate members of the media.
Senior athletes will seeking places on the national teams to several meets the most important of which is the Commonwealth Games which will be held in Manchester, England July 25-August 4.
The juniors who have blazed an impressive trail at the World Championships since the first was held 16 years ago will be getting their first chance to shine in front of a home crowd. As such the battle for places on the team, especially in the sprints, should be fierce.
The junior ranks include a number of athletes who were medallists in Chile. Bronze medallist at the 2000 meet, Melaine Walker of St. Jago, will be competing with the seniors. In other sprint events, Holmwood Technical's Aneisha McLaughlin will take the spotlight. She is among the fastest local schoolgirls in the 100m, 200m and 400m but is expected to only turn out for the 200m at the World Junior meet.
The main battle among the junior boys should come in the 400m where the quartet of Jermaine Mullings, Yhann Plummer, Sekou Clarke and Gregory Lyttle are seeking the two individual spots in the one-lap event at the World Junior Championships.
As usual among the seniors the main battles will come in the sprints. In the men's 100m heats set for 4.20 p.m. today a lot of eyes will be on top schoolboy sprinter Steve Mullings who was just touched off by Asafa Powell in the event at last weekend's Lasco National-+-+ club Championships at G.C. Foster. Mullings, however, returned to take the 200m and he will be trying to upstage national champion Chris Williams who won a silver in the half lap event at last year's World Championships in Edmonton, Canada.
In the men's 400m anyone of Michael McDonald, Michael Blackwood could emrege champion but the young brigade leg by Brandon Simpson and Sanjay Ayre will do well. Simpson was a silver medallist in the event at the last World Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile.
The senior women's 100m, 200m and 400m should also be interesting. Tayna Lawrence, who missed out on much of last season because of injury, is the favourite for the women's 100m ahead of Veronica Campbell, defending champion Aleen Bailey, Beverly McDonald and Juliet Campbell while the last four will feature in the 200m.
Lorraine Fenton is now a class above the rest in the 400m and will be looking to retain her crown ahead of veteran Sandie Richards.
Opening event today at 2.30 is the javelin throw for under-17, under-20 and senior men. First events on the track are the under-20 boys 400m hurdles heats at 3.20 to be followed by the same event for senior men. Today's only track final is the men's 10,000m at 4.45.
