Inaugural JAAA Under 18 Invitational ends with good performances

The two day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Under-18 Invitational culminated on Sunday at the National Stadium with Sachin Dennis of STETHS clocking 20.97 to take the boys 200 metres to be among the highlights. Dennis was the only sub 21 man in the field, winning section 1 and the overall event ahead of Canada's Myles Misenerdal 21.19 and fellow Jamaican Conroy jones 21.92.

Another Jamaican, Rajay Morris 21.90 seconds, took section two to be second overall with Canada's Ibrahim Ayorinde 22.22 second and Jamaica's Cordel Gordon third in 22.86. Shiann Salmon took the girls 400 metres hurdles in 58.35 ahead of Canada's Julia Lovsin 1:04.32 and her Jamaican teammate Donell Hartley 1:07.60

Meanwhile, Devontie Archer took the boys equivalent in 54.37 followed by compatriot Shantamoi Brown 54.91 and Sharim Hamilton of St Kitts and Nevis 57.20.
 
Canada took the top spots in the girls 200 metres with Jasneet Nijjar winning in 24.25 and Makenzy Pierre-Webster 24.27 and Olivia Gee 24.68, second and third respectively. Canada was again in the winners’ circle in the girls 800 metres with Tiana Lostracco taking the event in 2:06.71 ahead of Jamaica's Chrisani May 2:07.49 and Canadian Maggie Smith 2:07.74.

Canada took the two top places in the boys’ equivalent with Abdullahi Hassan 1:52.14 and Liam Rivard 1:53.24 first and second and Jamaica's J'Voughn Blake third in 1:56.11. Jamaica ended the day on a winning note with the a team taking the mixed 4 x 400 metre relay in 3:26.97 ahead of  Jamaica 'B' 3:31.23 and Canada 'A' 3:34.62.

The meet was organised by the JAAA after being approached by Athletics Canada following the cancellation of the NACAC Under-18 Championships due to civil unrest in Nicaragua. The highlight of the two day meet was Christopher Taylor equalling the 100 metre national junior record of 10.11 in a special Under-20 race on Saturday.