Hydel High’s Alana Reid powers to victory in semifinal one of the Girls’ Class 1 200m on day four of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday, March 31, 2023. (PHOTO: Marlon Reid).
Hydel High’s Alana Reid has soared through to the final of the Girls’ Class One 200m final at the 2023 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
The 18-year-old 100m champion threw down the gauntlet to her challengers with a time of 23.87 for an easy victory in the first of two semi-finals on the fourth and penultimate day of the five-day spectacle on Friday.
Second was Mickayla Gardener of Wolmer’s who clocked 23.92, the second-fastest time over the heats.
Kacian Powell of defending champions Edwin Allen won the second semifinal heat in 24.08 to qualify as the third-fastest. Holmwood Technical captain Rickiann Russell, the 400m champion, is the fourth-fastest over the heats with 24.22 seconds.
Reid is in imperious form as she became the first female to break 11 seconds in the 100m at the championships, shattering Veronica Campbell’s record of 11.12 set back in 2001.
She won the 100m gold on Wednesday in 10.92 to break Tina Clayton’s national junior record set in August 2022, less than a year ago at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia. The time that makes her the 11th fastest Jamaican woman in history is also a world-leading time.
Over in Class Two, Lacovia High’s Sabrina Dockery leads all qualifiers with 24.05. St Elizabeth Technical High School’s Habiba Harris is the second-fastest qualifier with 24.44 and Bridgeport High’s Brittney McCormack, is the third-fastest with 24.86.
In Class Three, Edwin Allen High’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge – the 100m gold medallist – comfortably won her semifinal heat in 24.61 to stay on course for the sprint double.
Terrelonge’s 24.61 is the fastest over the heat just ahead of Natrece East of Wolmer’s with 24.93.
The final will feature two Hydel High athletes – Onetta Mitchell, the third-fastest over the heats with 25.02, and Natassia Fletcher, the fourth-fastest with 25.16.
Tresha-Lee Sutherland of Clarendon College qualified fastest for the Class Four final with 25.64, holding off St Jago High’s Trecia-Ann Grant (25.93).
Kayla Johnson of Immaculate, the 100m gold medallist, won the third semifinal heat in 25.72 and was second-fastest overall, followed by Hydel High’s Gabrielle Morgan in 25.84.
Kevina Bourne of Port Antonio High won the first semifinal heat in 26.02 to book her spot.
