Half milers are ready and could take with them places in the Champs record book on Saturday’s final day.
The most likely record to be broken is that of Natoya Goule, who ran 2:09.60 to give Manchester gold in Class 3 in 2006.
Edwin Allen’s Cemore Donald, who ran 2:13.01 to qualify for the final on Thursday, has a personal best of 2:08.80 done in March.
Donald will be running against the clock.
Bellefield High’s Shevan Parks, in the Class 1 boys’ final, will have to improve on his 1:52.73 to remove the late Sherwin Burgess of Vere Tech's mark of 1:48.84 which is there since 1987.
“I am going for the win, but in that win the record can come,” he said. “I am hoping I get the win and the record though,” he added.
Parks was relaxed in his semi-final before he was pushed across the line in 1:55.66, the day’s third fastest time.
Parks said, “the plan was just to make sure I qualify for the final.”
Rogay Granston of Holmwood with 1:54.57 will lead them into Saturday’s final. Jauavney James of STETHS is also in the final with 1:55.58.
St. Jago's Leon Clarke, who is the sixth fastest with 1:56.03, should feature in the final. “I made the final by finishing second in the semi-finals, so that was the plan,” said Clarke.
Former Edwin Allen student Kayann Thompson’s Class 1 girls’ record of 2:03.75 has survived the Goule era, but Junelle Bromfield has eyes on it from as early as February.
“I’m working for a 2:02,” she said after her 2:07.37 victory at Western Champs in February.
In Thursday’s semi-final, she ran 2:17.36 to easily topped her heat, but was quick to say “I came out not to do much.”
As for the final on Saturday, the same day she expect to run the 400m, Bromfield said: “I know I am going out there to give it my all in both my events.”
St. Jago’s Keenan Lawrence is the top man in the Class 2 boys' 800m and after his 1:54.85 qualifying run, the talk of record also found favour with his lips.
“It was a quite comfortable run and I just wanted to get into the final.
Come Saturday’s final, Lawrence said, “Hopefully I can go after the record.”
The record for this event is 1:57.27 done by former Edwin Allen athlete Aldwyn Sappleton in 1997.
Lawrence, who wasn’t born at the time, has a personal best of 1:53.94
Britnie Dixon of Vere with 2:16.55, Holmwood’s pair of Chrissani May 2:16.55 and Brittney Campbell 2:16.73 are the top qualifiers going into the Class 2 girls’ final.
