Anderson aims to reclaim record

Britany Anderson, a combination of speed and smooth technique, says she is ready to unleash both and win the Girls' Class One 100m hurdles gold at this year's staging of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships underway at the National Stadium.

On Tuesday's opening day, Anderson, the Vere Technical hurdler, accounted for the first record at the championships, running a very smooth 13.37 seconds in the preliminary round of Heat 1, to better the previous mark of 13.38 seconds set by Camperdown's Peta-Gaye Williams.

The mark was short lived, however, as Shanette Allison of Holmwood Technical, blazed a new trail, clocking a fast 13.30 seconds in Heat 2.

In what is expected to be testy semi-finals this Friday, at 9:15 a.m. Anderson says she wants to turn up the speed to further underline her gold-medal credentials.

"In the semi-final, I want to run a faster time and take on the field, and I know I will medal once I get the start I want. I am just going to run hard for the gold, once I don't hit any of the hurdles," she told The Gleaner.

She is hoping for three gold medals in the 100m hurdles, 200m and 4x100m, noting that she is looking to help power her school to "finish third or fourth", in Girls' competition.

Vere's Anderson sped to the line first in 13.37 seconds, followed by Katherine Barnes of St Elizabeth Technical 13.78 and Taffara Rose of Hydel, third in 13.82 seconds.

GOOD PERFORMANCE

"Today's performance was good, although I didn't get the start I wanted to get, but I ran pretty hard," she said.

According to the Raymond 'KC' Graham-coached Hurdles athlete, she did not run to break the record, just to make it to the semi-finals, noting that she has a lot left in the tank.

"I have a lot left in the tank, and I am looking to turn it up for the finals, once I make it," she said.

Anderson is mindful of her rivals for gold in; defending champion Daszay Freeman of Manchester High, who easily qualified for the semi-final round in a comfortable 13.65 seconds.

Anderson is no stranger to breaking records as last year, she sped to 11.10 seconds to win semi-final one of the Girls' Class 3 80m hurdles, lowering the old mark of 11.13 seconds set by Rushelle Burton of Camperdown High in 2013.