Shot put record for Edwin Allen's Frazer
Published:Wednesday | March 13, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter
One new record was established on yesterday's opening day of the 2013 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships being held over five days inside the National Stadium.
Rochelle Frazer of defending girls' champions Edwin Allen threw 14.52 metres to lead the 12 qualifiers into today's final of the girls' shot put Class Two scheduled for 5:30 p.m. With the event now contested in two classes for the first time this year, Frazer now holds the record for Class Two. The Class Two shot put weighs 3kg while Class One is 4kg (same as in the previous open event).
Three of the country's national junior representatives also made easy progress to the final of their respective events.
Last year's World Junior Championships participant, Tara-Sue Barnett of Edwin Allen, comfortably threw a distance of 43.64m in qualifying for today's final of the girls' discus throw Class One down to be contested at 5:05 p.m.
"I am satisfied, because it was a standing throw and 43m is very good for a standing throw," Barnett said.
Barnett, the defending champion, is confident that she will eclipse last year's record throw of 50.76m.
"I have trained for a year, so you would expect a better performance from last year Barnett reasoned. "My first objective was to make the final and now I want to get my gold medal and then think about breaking records."
feeling good
Barnett will, however, have to be mindful of Holmwood Technical's dangerous Gleneve Grange, who has the longest throw, 44.91m, going into the final.
Kingston College's (KC) Clive Pullen, a 2011 World Youth finalist, is through to today's Class One boys long jump final set for 5:55 p.m. Pullen with 6.93m is, however, not the leading qualifier, as that honour goes to Jullane Walker of Calabar High. He registered a mark of 7.10m. Defending champion Keneil Grant, of KC is also through with his distance of 6.91m.
"I am feeling good, the instruction was just to go out there and get over the qualifying mark which I did, so I am happy," Pullen, who is the captain of K C, said.
The Class Two boys long jump final scheduled for 3:35 p.m. will see Campion College's Lorne Barrett go in with the best jump from the preliminary round of 6.64m. St Jago High's Roje Jackson-Chin (6.61m) and Cornwall College's Alrick Ottey (6.60m) are the next two best qualifiers.
Holmwood Technical's Rodney Henry stopped the clock at 6:13.76 minutes to be the fastest qualifier for the boys' 2000m steeplechase open final scheduled to bring down the curtain on today's second day at 9:40 p.m. Bellefield's Winston Freeman (6:15.40) and Jamaica College's Kamoy Blake (6:15.56) are also through to the final.
The sixth final slated to be contested today is the girls' 2000m steeplechase open final at 9:25 p.m.