By Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer 
Sanita Sutherland (right) outlasts Nyoka Cole to win the Under-20 girls 400 metres at the National Junior Athletics Championships at G.C. Foster College yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
THE hundreds of hard core fans that turned up at the G.C. Foster College yesterday at the National Junior Track and Field Championships were not surprised as Holmwood Technical Schillonie Calvert and Camperdown's Remaldo Rose stole the spotlight with sizzling 100-metre runs.
However, they had to share the spotlight with Asafa Powell who, competing in an Invitational 100 metres, sent an early message across the world as he recorded an amazing 9.99 seconds running in a plus 1.80 metres per second wind reading.
Running in the final event of the day Powell, undoubtedly the best male sprinter in the world today, gave his coach Stephen Francis a lot to smile about as he displayed top class sprinting to send goose pimples among the spectators.
Another Stephen Francis protégé in Winston Smith finished second in 10.31 seconds. Minutes before, Brigitte Foster captured the women's Invitational 100 metres in a wind aided 11.19 seconds.
GREAT TOP END SPEED
Earlier, however, 15-year-old Calvert, formerly of Anchovy High and who missed the recent Girl's Athletics Championships because of the Transfer Rule, put the big girls in their place. With coach Maurice Wilson opting for the Under-20 100 metres instead of the Under 17, the stockily built Calvert, showing great top end speed, got the better of G.C. Foster College's Jody Ann Powell after a keen tussle.
Calvert, the Carifta Under 17 champion, raced to a personal best of 11.44 seconds to win as Powell 11.58 took the silver with another Holmwood Technical athlete, Tracyann Rowe, finishing third in 11.61 and Nickeisha Anderson of Herbert Morrison fourth in 11.74.
Rose, who earlier this season defeated his senior rivals at the Carifta Trials, ran true to form once again as he stretched his rivals to win the boy's Under-20 event in a fast 10.33 seconds to become the automatic qualifier for the World Junior 100 metres event.
TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT
Kingston College's Andre Wellington, showing tremendous improvement, finished second in 10.51 as Manchester's Nesta Carter (10.52) and Vere Technical's Kwayne Fisher (10.62) finished third and fourth respectively.
In the Under-17 equivalent, Edwin Allen's Kimberly Smith (11.79) and Holmwood Technical's Ramalo Turner (10.89) won the respective girl's and boy's events.
Vere Technical's Keneisha Throughsing was a double winner yesterday as she captured the Under-17 Discus with 35.56 metres and the Shot Put with 40.37 metres.
MCLAUGHLIN SECOND
Yesterday, there was also preliminary action in the 400 metres and based on what happened there should be much fireworks as Holwood Technical's Sanita Sutherland (54.32) won her heat ahead of teammate Nyoka Cole (54.64), while in the other heat Vere Technical's Shernette Stewart (56.12) had the outstanding Anneisha McLaughlin (56.15) in second. Today's final should be hot.
In the Boy's Under-20 event it will be Norman Manley versus Tivoli Gardens as Michael Gardner (48.72) won his heat, likewise Rohan Phipps of Tivoi who won his heat in 48.15 seconds.
Competition will continue today at noon with the final of the Girl's Under-17 Long Jump with the first track event at 1:05 p.m. being the preliminary round of the Boy's 200 metres.
