Merrick Andrews, Staff Reporter
VERE Technical's Meleshia Spencer crossing the finish line first in the girls Under-20 1500 metres final in 4:39.14 at yesterday's National Junior Trials at the National Stadium.
TWO Vere Technical High schoolgirls captured the spotlight at yesterday's National Junior Athletic Trials at the National Stadium.
Sheree Francis twice bettered her national junior record with a final effort of 1.86 metres in the Under-20 high jump and Veronica Campbell ran a blistering 11.33 seconds to capture the under-20 100 metres final.
The 16-year-old Francis broke her own national junior standard of 1.83m by first clearing 1.84m. Then, with additional support from the enthusiastic crowd, Francis went over the bar at 1.86m.
"For the past two weeks I have been planning to do this because I wanted to qualify for the upcoming World Junior Championships so I planned for this jump," said Francis who is aiming to get to 1.89m at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico.
Francis finished ahead of Kemisha Nelson (1.65m) and Anasha Smith with 1.60m. Shaunette Davidson won the girls under-17 equivalent in 1.74m over Peaches Roach (1.71m).
Like she did at the Club Championships in Kirkvine last week, Nadine Palmer had a very fast start and held a slim lead ahead of Campbell and overseased-based Nolle Graham mid-way the race, but Campbell stormed past the two with 30 metres remaining to win easily.
Palmer was second in 11.48 and Graham third in 11.63. Shereefa Lloyd, also from Vere Technical, was fourth in 12.09.
Lisa Sharpe won the under-17 girls race by pulling away from the field with 50 metres remaining to clock 11.74 seconds ahead of St. Jago High's Kerron Stewart 12.06 and Simone Facey (Vere) 12.09.
In the boys Under-20 final, Albert Town Comprehensive's star sprinter, Omar Brown, narrowly claimed victory.
The 18-year-old Brown had one of the worst starts of his career but roared back into contention in the final stages to pip Michael Frater on the line in 10.42 seconds.
Frater copped second in 10.50 just ahead of the dark horse Marvin Anderson (10.53), Steve Mullings (10.60) who came into the final with the fastest time of 10.84 and Dwight Shakespeare (10.73). Winston Smith, the Boys Champs Class 1 200 winner, was a disapppointing sixth in 10.74.
The boys Under-17 100m was also close. Andre Maxwell pof Ardenne surprised the field winning in 11.01 ahead of long jump winner Damion Young, 11.03, and Tesfa Latty (11.16).
The meet continues and ends today. Action starts at 1 p.m. with the high jump for under-17 boys. The final event, the 400 metres under-20 boys, is set for 7.30.
