Newly minted Class one girls’ 100m champion Alliah Baker of Hydel and boys’ Class one 400m champion Marcinho Rose, both threw down the gauntlet for what is to come in the 200m finals, as they were superb in qualifying on Friday’s third day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Baker, who is relishing the opportunity to sprint, after being asked to take up the mantle by Head coach Corey Bennett, cruised to a time of 24.27 seconds and seems poised to complete the double.

She will have the likes of Bridgeport High’s Brittney McCormack (24.49s); Titchfield’s Chevauna Grant (24.49s); Mickayla Gardener (24.02s) of Wolmer’s Girls; St Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson (24.64s); St Elizabeth Technical’s Shanque Williams (24.71s); Edwin Allen’s Jounee Armstrong (24.50s) and Trezeguet Taylor (24.71) to contend with in the final.

Kingston College’s Rose laid down comfortable 20.70 seconds to set the tone for the boys’ Class one event. The other finalists are Gary Card (21.17s) of Wolmer’s Boys; KC’s Amal Glasgow (21.26s); Lacovia’s Rosean Smith (21.52s); Vere Technical’s Omar James (21.57s); Raheem Pinnock (21.76s) of St Jago; Munro College’s Romario Hines (21.59s) and Rhaeim Allyson (21.62s) of Clarendon College.

In the girls’ Class two event, medal favourites, Shanoya Douglas (23.53s) of Muschett High; Sabrina Dockery (24.41s) of Lacovia High and 100m champion Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (23.95s) of Edwin Allen, safely progressed to the final.

They will be joined by Hydel High’s Jody-Ann Daley (24.45s) and Shemonique Hazel (24.67s); Shevi-Anne Shim (24.69s) of Immaculate Conception and St Mary High’s Tianna Rhoomes (24.74s).

Johan-Romaldo Smythe (21.31s) of Muschett High was the standard bearer for the boys’ Class two qualifiers, followed by Wiliam Knibb’s Jabari Matheson (21.77s); Kingston College’s Joshua Grant (22.06s); Antwone Bygrave (22.01s) of St George’s College and Jamaica College’s Malique Dennis (22.16s). Calabar’s Byron Walker (22.28s); Campion College’s Nasir McMorris (22.46s) and Ian Baker (22.05s) of St Catherine High (22.05), will look to challenge Smythe for the top spot.

Meanwhile, Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls’ will look to defend her Class three title, after she clocked 24.15s in qualifying. She will face the likes of Immaculate Conception’s Kimberly Wright (24.48s); St Jago’s Shannia Campbell (25.30s) and Trecia-Ann Grant (25.07s); Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne (24.86s); Port Antonio’s Kevina Bourne (25.04s); St Mary High’s Kaliesha Bell (24.72s) and Hydel’s Sashana Johnson (24.79s).

Jamaica College’s Oneil Lawrence clocked 22.54 seconds to register the fastest qualifying time of the boys’ Class three 200m. He will line up against Mario Ross (22.67s) and Deandre Myers (23.31s) of Wolmer’s Boys’; Calabar’s Ched Brown (22.85s); Denbigh High’s Rayvon Black (22.99s); Andre Boyd of St Jago (23.11s); Edwin Allen’s Taheem Thompson (23.24s) and Kingston College’s Jason Pitter (23.29s).

Finally, Hydel High’s Teixiera Johnson is another athlete seeking to complete the double, as she headlines qualifiers through to the girls’ Class four event.

Johnson ran a time of 25.23 seconds, and she will be joined by her teammate Tyecia McDonald (25.46s); Jadeanne Patterson (26.03s) of Alphansus Davis; Holmwood Technical’s Aliona Crawford (26.20s); Maggotty High’s Kerian Jarrett (26.06s); Mick-Kayla Gardener (26.09s) of Wolmer’s Girls; Edwin Allen’s Makaila McDonald (26.26s) and Convent of Mercy Alpha’s Imani Crawford (26.33s).

The final is scheduled for Saturday evening.

National junior record holder Bouwahjgie Nkrumie ran an easy 10.19 to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Boy’s Under-20 100m on Friday’s day one of the 2023 Carifta Trials at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Kingston College’s Nkrumie, who ran 10.02 to win silver at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships behind Botswanan World junior record holder Letsile Tebogo, easily won the fourth heat ahead of Camperdown’s Jason Lewis who ran 10.57 to also qualify for the final.

Jamaica College’s Hector Benjamin advanced second fastest with a personal best 10.31 to win heat two ahead of defending champion DeAndre Daley of Herbert Morrison who also advanced with 10.56.

Daley’s day was almost disastrous as he was left in the blocks at the start of the heat but, thankfully, recovered to seal his spot in the final.

Manchester High’s Javoon Blair qualified third fastest with a 10.43 effort to win heat one ahead of Steer Town Academy’s Omarion Barrett (10.49).

Also advancing to Saturday’s final were Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence-Clarke (10.55) and Steer Town Academy’s Tay-Shawn Barnes (10.56).

The qualifiers for the Under-17 final were led by STETHS’ Tramaine Todd, Calabar’s Khamani Gordon and Jamaica College’s Dontae Watson.

Todd looked extremely impressive, producing 10.59 to win his heat while Gordon and Watson produced times of 10.68 and 10.72 to win their respective heats and advance.

Joining them in the final will be Jamaica College’s Nathaniel Martin (10.69), St. Jago High’s Detarje Morgan (10.72), Herbert Morrison’s Tavaine Stewart (10.82), Calabar’s Jamal Stephenson (10.89) and Kingston College’s Kyle Bodden (10.95).

World Under-20 silver medallist Serena Cole of Edwin Allen led all qualifiers to the final of the girls Under-20 equivalent.

Cole ran a comfortable 11.22 to easily win her heat ahead of St. Catherine High’s Kaycian Johnson who also qualified with 11.91.

Petersfield’s Alexis James also looked in good form, running 11.24 to win her heat ahead of MVP’s Tia Clayton (11.53), Edwin Allen’s Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.59) and William Knibb’s Lavanya Williams (11.61). Clayton, Forbes and Williams all advanced to the final alongside James.

Hydel’s Alana Reid, World Under-20 bronze medallist, won her heat in 11.55 to advance while Wolmers’ Mickayla Gardener (11.65) finished second and made it through.

Natrece East of Wolmers ran 11.70 to lead all qualifiers to the Under-17 final. She will be joined in the final by the Hydel pair Shemonique Hazle (11.80) and Camoy Binger (12.00), Wolmers’ Tiana Marshall (11.77), Immaculate Conception’s Shevi-Anne Shim (11.94), St. Jago’s Adora Campbell (12.02), Excelsior’s Janiela Williams (11.95) and St Mary High’s Shagay Sheppy (12.02).