Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau:

When the 2013 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships get under way on the morning of Tuesday March 12, 2013, a number of athletes will be hoping to gain a first win, while others will be seeking to maintain and cement their legacy.

Numbered among them will be Petersfield High School's Asaine Hall, who will be contesting two events - her pet event being the 400m in addition to the 200m.

Hall, who represented Jamaica at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games, has a season-best 24.40 seconds over 200m and 55.22 in the 400m. She ran a wind-aided 12.18 over 100m at the Milo Western Relays in Montego Bay on February 9 and a creditable second leg for her team at the 37th staging of the Gibson Relays, held on the weekend at the National Stadium.

"Asaine is preparing quiet well for Champs at the moment," said her coach, Machelle Woolery.

"She is, however, hampered somewhat by a knee injury, but she will be ready when Champs comes around," added Woolery.

TARGET TIME

The 18-year-old is targeting a time of 52.08 seconds over the 400m at Champs, which would mean taking 3.14 seconds off her season best, which was established at the Hanover Western Champs earlier in the month, where she also ran impressively, but was pipped on the finish line in the girls' Class One 100m by Mylrea Ashley of Green Island.

"We are expecting her to be among the medals at Champs. She has proven to be a strong and competitive athlete and we at Petersfield are hoping that she will be fit and ready to compete well for us," said Woolery, who is hoping Hall will lead the school to its best-ever finish at Champs 2013.

The lanky quarter-miler, an already established star in the making, is Petersfield's best hope for a medal, to replicate her third-place finish in the 400m and second-place effort in the 200m last year.