By Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer
Facey, McLaughlin and Gonzales
SIXTY-SIX of the island's leading junior athletes will leave Jamaica this morning to participate in the CAC Junior Championships in Barbados from Friday to Sunday.
The team, which comprises 34 females and 32 males, will be aiming for outstanding performances as this will be the athletes' final tune up before the World Junior Championships here from July 16-21.
The team includes several of those who competed at the Carifta Games during the Easter weekend, however there are a few absentees due to injury. With just less than two weeks to go before the World Junior Championships, the performances of the athletes will be keenly watched.
They attended a training camp at the G.C. Foster College where they had four sessions working mainly on technical areas and relays.
Notable absentees will include St. Jago High School athletes Melaine Walker and Kerron Stewart. Walker, the Carifta Under-20 400 metres hurdles champion and one of Jamaica's brightest prospects for a gold at the World Junior Games, was involved in a motor vehicle accident over the weekend.
Stewart, who was in great form at the National Club Championships, injured her ankle two days before the National Championships. Stewart, who took the silver medal at the Carifta Games in the 100 metres this year, was also given time off so as to be in top shape for the World Juniors.
With the injuries to these two athletes, the JAAA has included Lorraine Allen of Edwin Allen and Jerrine Foster of Alpha. At the same time, Nadina Marsh will compete in the 100 metres hurdles while Veronica Patterson will compete in the 400 metres Hurdles. These were the two events Walker was scheduled to take part in.
Despite the absence of those it is expected the likes of Simone Facey, Aneisha McLaughlin, Sheryl Morgan, Jermaine Gonzales, Gregory Lyttle, Germaine Mason and Usain Bolt will put on some awesome performances.
McLaughlin, who will compete in the Under-17 category, will be hoping to emulate her Carifta form where she captured the sprint double with personal records of 11.48 and 23.04 seconds.
Facey, who defeated McLaughlin at the National Championships over the 100 metres, is in fine form and will want to maintain it. She missed this year's Carifta Games due to injury.
With the United States athletes in top form over the 400 metres, Morgan who looked good in training last weekend and will be aiming for a sub-52 seconds so as to stay on track with her main rivals.
Among the males, Gonzales who put himself in medal contention after the National Championships, will be hoping for another sub-46 seconds while Mason, who broke the national record in the high jump at the National Championships, will come face to face with the Barbados athlete who has defeated him twice this year and now is the right time to score a psychological advantage going into the World Juniors.
