The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has named the team set to compete at the North American, Central American and Caribbean U18 & U23 Championships which gets underway this weekend in San Jose, Costa Rica. Included in the team is National senior high jump champion Romaine Beckford (21). The reigning NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion may be looking to improve his season (and personal) best of 2.27m as he’s just short of the qualifying mark for the World Championships later this summer. Beckford is just 5 centimeters short of the 2.32m standard.
Meanwhile, the rest of the squad is made up of junior champions and U-18 standouts. Two of the notable young stars are the 100m junior champions; Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge and St. Elizabeth Technical’s Javorne Dunkley. The latter’s dominant run saw him shatter his previous best of 10.59s by just under half a second to clock 10.17s at the National Championships a couple weeks ago. That is already an unprecedented improvement, it would take another one to meet the qualifying mark of 10.00s for the World Championship. At the very least he should feel confident going to Costa Rica. Similarly, the 15 y-o Terrelonge punched above her class in the National Championship by competing in the U-20 section but the JAAA’s decision to register her for the U-18 team should increase her chances for a medal this weekend.
Jamaica’s medal haul has fluctuated over the years since the NACAC Championship’s inception. The last edition’s tally of 67 medals overall is easily the highest ever for Jamaica. While not as much is being predicted this year, the team below gives hope for a fair few to be racked up just the same.
The teams for the different sections are:
Teams: Under-18 female — Briana Campbell, Sabrina Dockery, Shanoya Douglas, Canelia Hope, Chennai Jarrett, Rhianna Lewis, Able Mills, Shamoyea Morris, Jaeda Robinson, Rohanna Sudlow, Shelly-Ann Taylor, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Abigail Wolfe, Abrina Wright
Under-18 male — Benjamin Berry, Rashid Bowen, Kahiem Carby, Gary Card, Michael-Andre Edwards, Anthony Hall, Shavan Jarrett, Romario Jibbison, Jabari Matheson, Ainsley McGregor, Joel Morgan, Chavez Penn, Antonio Powell, Joseph Salmon, Javontae Smith, Trevoy Smith, Tramaine Todd, Omaire Williamson, Joshua Wint, Daneil Wright
Under-23 female — Shana Kaye Anderson, Shaquena Foote, Mickaell Moodie, Crystal Morrison, Rhianna Phipps, Joanne Reid, Danielle Sloley, Garriel White, Cedricka Williams, Damali Williams
Under-23 male — D’Andre Anderson, Zandrion Barnes, Romaine Beckford, Javorne Dunkley, Demar Francis, Jehlani Gordon, Jeheem Hayles, Reheem Hayles, Delano Kennedy, Adrian Kerr, Kavian Kerr, Kobe Lawrence, Bryan Levell, Alexavier Monfries, Ralford Mullings, Gregory Prince, Jordan Turner, Enrique Webster, Travis Williams, Assinie Wilson, Jordani Woodley