Coach: Levell to focus on World Under-20 this year

Leon Powell, coach of Jamaica’s top junior sprinter Bryan Levell, says his charge will only be competing in junior events at next month’s JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships.

The National Senior and Junior Championships are scheduled to be held at the National Stadium, June 23-26.

Levell, who has been having an outstanding year so far, made the senior 100 metres final last year where he finished eighth.

The young sprint star now has his sights fully focussed on the World Under-20 Championships set for Cali, Colombia, August 2-7.

Powell explained to The Gleaner that his Edwin Allen star sprinter will only be running at the Junior Trials this year because the world senior championships this year are very close to each other and, therefore, they are just focusing on doing well at the World Under-20 event.

“The plan for him is for the World Under-20 Championships and the reason is because of the clashes and the schedule for the other senior meets,” said Powell.

“It is impossible for any athlete to participate at the Commonwealth Games and World Under-20 Championship based on the schedule,” he said.

“I am looking for the double at the Trials, and once there is no issue with the weather and he remains fit and healthy, then we will be going after both events there,” Powell said.

Levell is the third-fastest Jamaican junior in the world this year with a personal best time of 10.26 seconds. Only Jeevan Newby of Kingston College, 10.22, and Deandre Daley from Herbert Morrison, 10.23, have run faster than Levell this season.

The 18-year-old Levell, who won back-to-back gold medals in the 200m at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ Championships and at the Carifta Games last month, is currently the fastest Jamaica junior in the world in the event this year with a time of 20.53.

Powell pointed out that Levell has been improving a lot this season in both events and, therefore, he expects to lower his times in both events before the season finishes.

“I am not worried about his progress but he has only done one personal best time this year, and that was in the 200m, and that was some time in March,” he said. “I think that he is on the right track and going forward, I am expecting one more personal best for the season in either event this year,” Powell said.