A look at Champs possible double winners

by

Raymond Graham - STAR Writer

March 24, 2023

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Oneika McAnuff

Kemarrio Bygrave

Jade-Ann Dawkins

Kobe Lawrence

The ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs) will get under way on Tuesday at the National Stadium and during the five days, several athletes will be hoping to be crowned double champions and score maximum points for their respective teams.

STAR Sports look at 12 athletes, six from both sexes, with real possibilities of collecting top points from two individual events.

GIRLS

KAVONGAYE FOWLER - EDWIN ALLEN, CLASS III

With a season-best of 2:13.24 minutes in the 800 metres and 4:47.93 in the 1,500 metres, Fowler should continue her unbeaten run this season.

MONIQUE STEWART - EDWIN ALLEN, CLASS II

Like teammate Fowler, Stewart is expected to give maximum points by taking the 800 metres and 1500. Her biggest challenge will come in the 800, where her season best of 2:12.24 minutes is under threat from St Catherine High's Kitana Headley with a best of 2:12.44.

TEIXIERA JOHNSON - HYDEL, CLASS IV

One of the youngest athletes, if not the youngest to compete at Champs, Johnson, who created waves a year ago as a grade five student at the All-Island Insports Primary National Championships, should go all the way in both the 100 and 200 metres. Despite being the fifth seed in the 100 metres with 12.04 seconds, Johnson recently showed her class in the 200 metres with 24.96 seconds.

JADE-ANN DAWKINS - ST JAGO, CLASS II

Dawkins is a cinch for both the long jump and Open triple jump titles. At the Carifta Trials, she defeated her seniors to win the long jump with a wind-aided 6.12 metres. With a season-best 13.24 metres, she is the only athlete over the 12 metres mark in the triple jump and should go one place better than last year, when she was second.

FLORENCE NAFAMBA - HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL, CLASS II

Nafamba, out of Uganda, will be competing at her first Champs, and she will not be stopped in the Open 2000 metres steeplechase and 3000, where she has a season best of 7:10.22 minutes and 10:25.35, respectively.

ONEIKA MCANUFF - HYDEL, CLASS I

Despite not being the top-ranked athlete in both the Class I girls' 400 metres and the 400 metres hurdles, the Hydel leader knows how crucial her points will be in the bid to win their first Champions title.

In what could be the clash of Champs in the Class I one-lap event, where the record of 51.13 seconds could go, McAnuff should turn the tables on the red-hot Rickiann Russell of Holmwood and go one place better than last year.

Ranked No. 5 in the 400 metres hurdles with 1:00.68 minutes after lukewarm performances, McAnuff should step up to the plate to retain her title.

BOYS

KOBE LAWRENCE - CALABAR, CLASS I

The Under-20 World Championships shot put silver medallist is a cut above his peers as his season best of 19.86 metres is nearly a metre longer than his rivals, while he has a season best of 61.55 metres in the discus. He is ranked No. 1 in both events.

SHAQUANE GORDON - CALABAR, CLASS II

Smooth sailing for Gordon in the 110 metres hurdles, where he was fourth last year. He showed his class in the event at the recent Carifta Trials, where he defeated St Jago High's Demario Prince in the Under-20 event.

Gordon will not start favourite to win the 100 metres, as Carifta Trials Under-17 winner Tramaine Todd will, but Gordon is very classy and will steal the show and improve on his fifth-place finish in the event a year ago.

AMANI PHILLIPS - KINGSTON COLLEGE, CLASS III

Phillips should win double in the long and high jumps. In the long jump, he has a best of 6.23 metres, and he is expected to battle with Excelsior High's Michael Graham with a season best of 6.22 metres. In the high jump, his season best of 1.80 metres will be strongly challenged by teammate Steasean Hurd, with a best of 1.78.

SHAUN LEWIS - ST ELIZABETH TECHNICAL, CLASS III

Lewis should win the sprint double. With a leading time of 11.04 seconds, his biggest danger in the 100 metres is St Jago High's Rayj Reece, who has a season-best 11.11 seconds. The only athlete in the class with sub-23 seconds with a best of 22.98, it's smooth sailing for him in the 200 metres.

ROYAN WALTERS - KINGSTON COLLEGE, CLASS I

Walters will continue KC's quality showing in jumping events at Champs and should take home the long jump, with a season-best 7.60 metres, and the triple jump, with a best of 15.53, both above his rivals.