Duncan beats Harris in under-18 girls 100m semi at JAAA national championships

Day two of the JAAA/PUMA National Junior and Senior Championships featured the under-18 girls 100-metre semifinals, with finals for junior and senior sprinters scheduled for later the same evening.

In semifinal one, Malia Duncan, running unattached, led from the start to win in 11.96 seconds into a headwind of -0.7. The time was not a personal best for Duncan, who entered with a season best of 11.75, but it kept her under 12 seconds. Azaria Harris of Convent of Mercy Alpha Academy, widely tipped before the gun, finished second in 12.19 after a slower start. A Vere Technical athlete placed third in 12.58 and must wait on next-best times to learn whether she advances. The top two qualifiers move on automatically.

Harris arrived with strong form from this year’s Boys and Girls’ Championships, where she placed third in the Class Three 100 metres, performed well in the 200 metres, anchored Alpha to victory in the Class Three 4x100 relay, and shares the Class Three girls 80-metre hurdles record at Champs. Also in the field were Unika Smith of Ruseas in lane two, Ziya Tobias of Vere Technical in lane three, Natalia Moore of Penwood High in lane six, and Rihanna Laws of Holy Childhood in lane seven. Tatiana Thompson was listed in lane eight but did not compete.

Semifinal two was reduced by the absence of St Jago’s Adora Campbell from lane three and Ashana Marshall from lane seven. Campbell had been among the pre-race favourites as a sprint hurdler. Shaheera Thorpe of Penwood started in lane two, with Clarendon College’s Tishanna Sutherland in lane four and teammate Tenequa Moulton in lane five. Shade Allen of Holmwood Technical lined up in lane six, and Tony-Ann Foster of Holy Childhood ran from lane eight.

Sutherland and Moulton, who train together daily, pulled clear of a five-athlete field in a tight contest. Sutherland won in 12.25, Moulton was second in 12.29, and both booked places in the evening final. Allen finished third in 12.33 into a -1.8 wind and looks well placed to advance on time. Thorpe and Foster completed the results. A third semifinal was set to follow.