Friendly Fire - Vasuanna and Granville looking toward friendly rivalry at Champs

TWO-time champions St Jago High does not have the depth to challenge the likes of Calabar, Kingston College and Jamaica College for top honours at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships. However, the Monk Street-based team will have quality performances in the respective classes, and two of the athletes who look certain to do battle are Class 3 sprint hurdlers Vashaun Vasuanna and Javelle Granville.

Both athletes will be competing in Class 2 for the first time, but this will hold no fears for the duo, who have been dominating their more senior opponents so far this season. Both were in the finals in Class 3 a year ago, where Granville won the gold medal and Vasuanna had to settle for fourth. Vasuanna was the better of the two leading up to that Championships, but injuries hindered his progress.

Both are on fire this season after dominating at the various meets, and they showed their good form at the Carifta Trials, a few weeks ago. Vasuanna was impressive in winning the Under-17 110m hurdles in 13.43 seconds, ahead of Granville, second in 13.93 seconds, as they turned back a strong field.

"My preparation going into Champs has been very good despite some early setbacks," Vasuanna said. "After not medalling last year due to injuries, I am now focused and injury free and ready to go atop the podium,"

HOPING FOR QUINELLA

The fastest in the event this season, he sees his teammate, Granville, as his only threat. "My only threat is my teammate, Javelle, and we are hoping to quinella here for our team and give them important points," Vasuanna explained. He will also be doing the 400m hurdles and he was asked about his chances here too.

"I am just doing this event in trying to give my team some points," he said.

Despite winning in Class 3 last year, Granville knows it will not be easy to do so in Class 2 as his teammate Vasuanna is a major threat. "The race will definitely be between both of us and the clock as there is no one else in the field that can challenge us. We are very competitive in training as we do motivate each other and we are using this as a bigger motivation," Granville said.

Granville was the Central Championships winner in the event, where he clocked 13.92 seconds in a negative wind of 1.9 metres per second.