Camperdown Classics takes centre stage at Ashenheim Stadium

OVER 2,000 athletes are set to compete at today’s 21st staging of the Camperdown Classics at Ashenheim Stadium, Jamaica College.

It will be the third time that the meet will be held outside the National Stadium.

In an interview with The Gleaner earlier this week, Chairman of the Planning Committee Camille Allen Walters explained the reason for the move.

“Due to a lack of sponsorship this year we have decided to move from the National Stadium to another venue which is less expensive, but in the future we will be back inside the National Stadium,” said Allen Walters.

“All is set for today’s meet, which will see several top senior athletes in action along with athletes from top high schools, and we expect an exciting day of competition on the track and in the field,” added Allen Walters.

Action will get under way at 9 a.m. with the Class Three boys high jump and the Class Four girls 4x100m relays, and will close at 7:45 p.m,with the men’s senior 4x400m, a new event at the meet this year.

World 100m champion Oblique Seville will open his season when he competes in the men’s 400m. Seville, who stormed to victory in Tokyo for a Jamaica one-two finish over Kishane Thompson, will lead a strong core of athletes from Racers Track Club in the one-lap event. Seville won his heat at the meet last year in a personal best 47.04 seconds and ended sixth overall as SprinTec’s Zandron Barnes was the overall winner in a fast 44.97. Seville will be joined by clubmates Antonio Watson, Bovel McPherson, Delano Kennedy and Jeremy Bembridge, along with Great Britain’s Zharnell Hughes.

World Championships 100m hurdles representative Ackera Nugent, who now trains at Racers Track Club, will also make her season debut as she contests the 400m. She will be joined by Jodean Williams of SprinTec and schoolgirls Shanoya Douglas of Holland High and Hydel High’s Natassia Fletcher.

Senior athletes are also down to compete in the 60m for both men and women. Former Edwin Allen High sprinter Thieanna Lee Terrelonge will make her second professional run this season when she competes in the women’s 60m for Uptimum Track Club. Jura Levy of Swept and Jodean Williams of SprinTec are also listed to compete.

World Championships 200m bronze medallist Bryan Levell of Uptimum will contest the men’s 60m which will also feature World Championships representatives Adrian Kerr of Dynamic Speed Track Club and 400m hurdles specialist Roshawn Clarke of Swept Track Club.

HYDEL’S GIRLS LOOK TO DOMINATE

Defending inter-secondary girls’ champions Hydel have looked very good this season as they prepare to defend their title at next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships and they will be well represented at today’s meet, including the 4x100m where they will compete in all classes.

Hydel’s top sprinter Shemonique Hazle will contest the Class One girls’ 100m against the likes of Douglas of Holland High, Shevi Anne Shim of Immaculate Conception High and Tiana Marshall of Wolmer’s Girls.

The Class One 100m will take centre stage among the boys with Holland High’s Johan Ramaldo Smythe leading the pack. The event will also feature Calabar High’s Khamani Gordon and Jamal Stephenson, along with Excelsior High’s pair of Malike Nugent and Riquelme Reid.

The Corporate Area will also host another meet today as athletes in field events compete at Excelsior High in the King of the Ring meet set to start at 9:00 a.m.