Nickel Ashmeade was the star performer at the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) National Junior Championships, which ended at G.C. Foster College yesterday.

The St Jago schoolboy, from start to finish, put together a well-executed 200m race and even had time to look both sides as he headed towards the finish, winning in 20.49 seconds (1.3m/s), the third fastest overall by a Jamaican this season.

Only seniors Marvin Anderson (20.15) and Ainsley Waugh (20.22) have gone faster.

Ashmeade's time is also the second fastest ever by a Jamaican junior, only behind the super effort of Usain Bolt, who did 19.93 for the World Junior record in 2004.

The victory also handed Ashmeade, the World Junior silver medalist, the national sprint double crown.

Injured hamstring

A showdown was expected between Ramone McKenzie, the World Youth champion and Ashmeade in the 200m, but the former struggled with what seemed to be an injured hamstring and finished second in 21.90.

In the female equivalent, Vere Technical's Jura Levy, won in 23.65 seconds to complete the sprint double. Audra Segree of Holmwood (24.39) was second.

In the Under-18 category, Celia Walters, another Vere sprinter, completed the double. She added the 200m title, clocking 24.29 to finish ahead of Seidath Palmer of Herbert Morrison (24.71), to add to the 100m title she had won on Saturday.

It was a different story in the boys' Under-18 section as Waynee Hyman of Petersfield won the 200m in 21.80 while scoring an upset over Kemar Bailey-Cole of Old Habour High, the 100m champion. Bailey-Cole was second in the 200m in 21.88.

The contest was also hot in the U20 400 metres, with Darion Bent of the University of Technology (UTech) clocking 46.83 to get the better of Wolmer's Dwayne Extol (47.14), while Amoy Blake of Edwin Allen (54.63) turned the tables on Wolmer's Jodian Muir (55.11) in the girls' equivalent.

In the Under-18 category, Ristananna Tracey of Edwin Allen (54.45) beat Vere's Chantal Duncan (55.11) to complete the 400m/ 400mH double.

Javere Bell of Seaforth (47.91) took the Under-18 boys' division ahead of Wolmer's A-Shawni Mitchell (48.25).

In the sprint hurdles, as expected, Samantha Elliott of Immaculate won the girls' Under-18 100m obstacle event in a wind-aided 13.76. Keena Davis of Edwin Allen was second in 13.84.

In the Under-20 section, the Lennox Graham-coached duo from Johnson C Smith out of North Carolina in the United States, Shermaine Williams, the national junior record holder at 13.06, (13.47) and Rosemarie Carthy (13.61), finished one-two.

Trishana Williams of Dinthill (4:48.18) and Kemoy Campbell of Bellfield (3:51.42) won the Under-20 female and male 1500m, respectively.

Traves Smikle of Calabar won the discus for Under-18 boys, with a throw of 53.96 metres.

Winners

Candicea Bernard of St Hugh's (13.41m) took the Under-20 girl's shot put; Damon McLean of Campion (15.03m) was the boy's Under-20 triple jump winner; Rochell Farquharson of STETHS (6.00m) is the Under-18 long jump champion; Sasha Marston of Edwin Allen (12.11m) topped the Under-18 girls' shot put field, while Jonathan Reid of KC (2.00m) prevailed in the Under-18 boys' high jump.

The JAAA will now select teams to represent Jamaica at the World Youth Championships, to be staged in Italy from July 8-13, and the Pan Am Junior Championships in Trinidad from July 31 to August 3.