By Anthony Foster, TrackAlerts.com writer
Two field records were broken on Thursday the 3rd day, at Champs 2014, but it was a day where the fans were more interested in the 200m sprints.
It was a day, which left many after seeing the 200m semi-finals, especially in all the boys class events, wondering what will happen come Saturday afternoon. One of the possibilities is that Usain Bolt’s name could be written off the Champs history books.
Bolt’s 200m class 1 record of 20.25 is under threat, but as to who the new record holder will be, is still questionable.
Based on Friday’s semi-finals, the names being thrown around are, KC’s Zharnel Hughes, 20.32, Javaughn Minzie of Bog Walk, 20.37, St. Jago’s Martin Manley, 20.57 and the Calabar pair of Javon Francis 20.58 and Michael O’Hara 20.60
If Minzie was impressive in beating Francis in semi-final one, Hughes was superior in semi-final 2, as he was the only one to get under 21 seconds. Manley ran well to hold off O’Hara, who tried unsuccessful for the win.
In Class 2, KC’s duo of Akeem Bloomfield 21.6 and Jhevaughn Matherson 21.08 in their semi-final heats, are the favourites for 1-2 in the finals.
Tyreke Wilson 21.90 and Christopher Taylor 22.09, both of Calabar, lead the athletes into the class 3 finals.
Jonielle Smith of Wolmer’s 23.36, Edwin Allen’s pair of Monique Spencer 23.73 and Saqkine Cameron 23.86, along with Chanice Bonner 23.76 and Sashalee Forbes 23.90, both of Holmwood, should set up a good Class 1 girls 200m final.
Natalliah Whyte of St. Jago was the only one to run under 24 seconds, her time of 23.82 in the Class 2 girls 200m semi-finals. Shaneil English of Hydel's 24.18, Edwin Allen’s Shellece Clark 24.21 and Kimone Shaw of St. Jago 24.53, are the big ones going into the Class 3 finals, while Kiara Grant of Alpha look unstoppable in Class 4.
Meanwhile, Christania Williams was very hot in the prelims of the Class 1 girls 100m, making her intention clear with 11.78, the only one on the day with sub-12.
Hughes did 10.72, Minzie 10.75, Manley 10.92 and O’Hara 10.86 in the Class 1 boys 100m heats.
Meanwhile, Warren Barrett Jr. of Cornwall and Shiann Salmon of Hydel, were record breakers on the day. Barrett put the shot 18.18m to earse the previous mark of 17.41m set by Ashinia Miller of Calabar in 2009.
Salmon, in the Class 3 girls high jump, cleared 1.78m to remove former Holmwood standout Jeneive Russell’s 1.77 set in 2009.
Other final winners on the day, were Malik Cunningham of JC with 1.86m in Class 3 boys high jump; Annastacia Forrester of Manchester High with 6.30 in the Class 2 girls long jump, Shade Parr of Hydel, who leapt 5.45m in the girls Class 4 long jump and Basil Bingham of Calabar 60.29m in the Class 1 boys discus.
