Photo: Reigning World Champion, Danielle Williams, will be seeking to defend her national title in the women’s 100m hurdles at the National Championships this weekend.
Jamaica’s young hurdlers will begin their hunt for Olympic glory at the National Championships this weekend. Having risen to the cream of the crop over the last few years, the likes of World Champion Danielle Williams and world leader Omar McLeod have quickly become the face of sprint hurdling for the ‘sprint capital of the world’.
Reigning World Champion, Danielle Williams, will be seeking to defend her national title in the women’s 100m hurdles and may do so quite comfortably. A surprise winner in Beijing last year, Williams who currently sits sixteenth in the world ranking with a season best effort of 12.77 seconds is still ahead of the other Jamaican athletes and should go on to secure a spot to her first Olympic Games. The 23 year old also ran a wind assisted 12.55 season opener at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet in May.
Her older sister and 2012 Olympian, Shermaine Williams, who is having a less than impressive season so far, will have to step up on her 13.10 season’s best in order to secure a spot to her second games.
Two of the more inform Jamaican athletes this season, Monique Morgan (12.80) and Megan Simmonds (12.86), will be looking to capitalize on their early season displays by ensuring they finish in the top three at the Trials.
Others making up the top eight should come from the pack of Kimberley Laing (13.26). Kimberley Golding (13.26), Peta-Gaye Williams (13.26), Samantha Scarlet (13.31) and Dasheon Gordon (12.90).
Andrea Bliss, Chrisdale McCarthy, Yanique Thompson, Janice Jackson, along with former Olympic champion over the 400m hurdles, Melanie Walker, should all face the starter,s gun.
The men’s 110m hurdles will feature the world number one ranked athlete and the man with the top four times in the event this year Omar McLeod. The only sub thirteen hurdler who also has a sub ten clocking over 100m, McLeod, who barring a disqualification or unforeseen mishap is firmly on course for another national title and possible eclipsing the national record ahead of his main challenger, Hansle Parchment. The 22 year old leads the World with a new personal best of 12.98 seconds in May at the Shanghai Diamond League
National record holder and defending Olympic bronze medallist, Hansle Parchment, trailed McLeod up to two weeks ago in the global rankings and will be gunning for a fast time and a hold on another national title. His season best at 13.10, ranks him third up to this point, but he has developed a habit of striking big when it matters most.
World sixth ranked hurdler Deuce Carter, (13.20) gave an indication of what form he is in at the Racers Grand Prix Meet in June, where he ran second ranked athlete USA’s David Oliver all the way to the line. If he is able to replicate that performance he may be on his way to Rio.
Tyler Mason (13.46), Andrew Riley (13.46),Yanick Hart (13.50), Ronald Levy (13.58) Teivaskie Lewin (13.66), and Rohan Cole (13.48) should be among the major contenders for spots on the hurdles team.
400m Hurdles
The men’s 400m hurdlers have been way off the pace of the world leader Johnny Dutch of the USA this season. Dutch has a world lead of 48.10s run at the Inaugural Racers Grand Prix Meet in Kingston in June. But the national trials is the place where they must come to perform ahead of the Olympic Games.
The top entrant going into the event is Roxroy Cato who has a season’s best effort of 48.98 seconds. This time is faster than the 49.09 seconds he ran for second spot last year. Defending national champion Ansert Whyte is third best Jamaican this season with 49.25 seconds and will have to contend with second ranked Jamaican and Top junior athlete Jaheel Hyde (49.64) for a top two spot.
The 2016 Intercollegiate champion Andre Clarke (49.64) and 800m runner turned hurdler Ricardo Cunningham (49.66) are both looking to claim their pass to their first Olympic Games and should not be scoffed at.
The experienced campaigner and 2012 Olympic finalist, Leford Green will be aiming for his second Olympic sojourn, but knows quite well that he will have to go much faster than his season’s best of 49.90 seconds. Other athletes who should be in the final running, based on their season’s best times should include Romel Lewis (49.84), Isa Phillips (49.85) and Shawn Rowe (49.93).
Okeen Williams, Javarn Gallimore, Josef Cameron, Marvin Williams, and Dwayne Extol will be among the names to face the starter in this event.
The women’s event should see the defending national champion and world number two ranked Janieve Russell, who has been in top form this season, securing her place at the Olympic Games. Her season best and personal best effort of 53.96 seconds puts her behind USA’s World champion bronze medallist Shamier Little, but comfortably ahead of her Jamaican compatriots as she is the only one to crack the 55 seconds barrier.
The next best Jamaican is Kaliese Spencer who has done 55.02 and will have to set up a notch to make sure her spot is secured for a second straight Olympic Games.
Ristananna Tracey who has a season’s best of 55.31 seconds is poised to secure a top three finish at the championship. The rest of the field should feature GC Foster’s Rhonda Whyte (55.58), Yanique Haye (56.17), Nikita Tracey (56.21), Shannon Kalawan (56.29), Danielle Dowie (56.50) and Rushell Clayton (56.86)
Nickesha Wilson and veteran Shevon Stoddart are also expected to grace the national stadium track for this event.
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