Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

EDWIN Allen High's girls produced several impressive performances on yesterday's opening day of the Milo Central Championships at G.C. Foster College.

They were led by record breaking performances from Christiana Williams in the Class Two 100 metres and Danniel Thomas in the shot put open. After 11 finals, Edwin Allen led the way with 116.5 points and they are followed by Holmwood, 72.5, and Vere Technical, 67.5. St Jago were in front among the boys with 54 points after 10 finals.

The Michael Dyke-coached team got their first record of the meet when former Frome Technical athlete, Thomas, surprised St Jago High's Kellion Knibb by taking the girls' shot put open with a new mark of 13.71 metres. The old record, 12.67m, was set in 2007 by former Vere Technical athlete Keneisha Throughsing. Knibb was second with 13.65m.

The outstanding Williams also wrote her name in the record books with an impressive 11.58 seconds, beating the 11.73 held since 2007 by Kedeisha Simpson, a former Glenmuir High athlete. Williams returned later to win the final going away from her rivals in 11.73 against a heavy headwind.

World Junior representative Ristananna Tracy, also of Edwin Allen, was a cut above her rivals in the 400 metres hurdle open, winning her heat in a hand-timed 57.7 seconds. Vere Technical's Rushell Clayton, who won her heat in the 'time final', was second overall in 62.2 seconds with Edwin Allen's Terriann Williams third in 63.7.

Vere's athletes dominated the 400 metres as they finished first in Classes Two and Three. Running her first 400 metres this season, World Junior representative Shericka Jackson looked quite smooth and relaxed as she stopped the clock at 53.79 seconds, while her teammate, Yanique McNeil, captured Class Three in 55.43.

The Danny Hawthorne-coached St Jago were also well placed to defend the boys' title. They had a one-two finish in the Class Three 400m as Jeron Brown (53.20 seconds) won ahead of teammate Roje Jackson. Edwin Allen's Alwyn Pitter took Class Two in a record 50.73 while Garvey Maceo Comprehensive's Roshean McDonald won Class One in 48.00 seconds.

The two-day meet continues at 9:30 a.m. on today's final day.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110225/sports/sports4.html