McLaughlin
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
WORLD JUNIOR Championships 200 metres silver medallist Anneisha McLaughlin of Holmwood Technical and Calabar's Josef Robertson, the CARIFTA Games' 400m champion, are two of the big names down for today's WATA/Jamaica College Development meet at the school's grounds at Old Hope Road.
Other big name athletes expected to take part at the meet include CARIFTA Games Under-17 sprint double champion Schilloni Calvert of Holm-wood, World Junior 400m hurdles Sherene Pinnock of Edwin Allen, Holmwood's and World Junior 400m silver medallist Sonia Suther-land, Carifta Games Under-17 100m hurdles champion Natasha Ruddock of St. Jago, Akeem Smith of Morant Bay and Andre Drummond of Glengoffe.
Reigning boys inter-secondary champions Kingston College (KC) and national high school queens Holmwood Technical are down to open their 2005 season at the meet.
PROGRAMME STEPPED UP
However, this will be Calabar's second meet of the season and coach Michael Clarke is looking ahead to today's meet. Clarke said because of the earlier date set this year for Champs (March 16-19) his programme had to be stepped up a notch.
However, he was unable to say how far the athletes were in terms of preparation.
"After tomorrow's (today's) meet we should know where we are and give a better assessment," Clarke said.
PREPARATIONS INTERRUPTED
Holmwood girls won last year's meet but coach Maurice Wilson said this year's event was more about assessing where his girls are. He said the team's preparations had been consistently interrupted.
"It started from as far back as the hurricane and then in the last three weeks, it has been wet and cold," he said.
In addition to the two big teams, chairman of the organising committee, Ian Forbes, confirmed entries from over 125 teams, including UTech/MVP, St. Jago High, St. Andrew High, Manchester, Edwin Allen, Immaculate, Queen's, Tacius Golding and Wolmer's on the girls' side, while JC, Calabar and St. Jago are among the male teams expected for the showdown.
G.C. Foster College and Fortis Inter-national are among the club and institution teams down to compete at the meet.
The rotation of sprint races continues with the 200m being replaced by the 100m. The events to be contested are: 100m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m along with hurdles in 70m, 80m, 100m 110m.
In the field events, the long jump, discus, high jump, shot put and pole vault are on the schedule. As in previous years trophies will be given to the class champions.
