Kerrica Hill runs season-best 12.69 to win women's 100m hurdles semi-final at national championships

Kerrica Hill of MVP delivered a season-best 12.69 seconds to win her semi-final in the women's 20-and-over 100 metres hurdles on day three of the JAAA/PUMA National Junior and Senior Championships.

Hill, who ranks as the fastest under-18 hurdler worldwide this season, made a sharp start and moved into the lead by the third barrier. She held off Demisha Roswell to the line, with Janella Spencer of Ohio State University finishing third. Roswell, Jamaica's second-quickest performer in the event this year with 12.53, crossed in 12.74. Spencer clocked 12.96.

Alexis James placed fourth in 13.09 but still advanced to the final. The top three in each heat earned automatic berths, while anyone finishing fourth needed a time faster than 13.36 to qualify on merit. That standard followed the opening semi-final, where Megan Simmons won in 12.79.

Hill's winning mark was quicker than Simmons's heat and matched her best time of the year. She entered the championships ranked fifth among Jamaican hurdlers at 12.71 and had finished fourth in last year's final.

Several established names were absent from the line-up, including Yanique Thompson, Danielle Nembhard and Amoy Kentish. The heat featured James in lane two, Hill in lane three, Roswell in lane five and Spencer in lane six.

With Hill, Roswell and Spencer securing the automatic places, James's 13.09 was enough to complete the final field under the time requirement.