Lining up for the Big Show

JAYDON HIBBERT and Ackelia Smith stand on top of the world as the National Senior and Junior Championships open today in Kingston. They represent a powerful field event contingent that is likely to appear at next month’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Hibbert, 18, is just five centimetres away from James Beckford’s ancient triple jump national record of 17.92 and Smith, has a world-leading long jump mark of 7.08 metres. Both won NCAA titles in June.

Nevertheless, sprinting will hold centre stage as usual.

In 2022, Shericka Jackson sizzled with a super sprint double that ended with a time of 21.55 seconds in the 200 metres. Then at the Worlds, she was second in a Jamaica 1-2-3 in the 100 which paved the way for a majestic 200 victory in 21.45 seconds, just 0.11 off the world record.

She is in good form but the other ladies in that 1-2-3 aren’t having smooth campaigns. Winner of that 100, six-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce will open her season at the Nationals in the 200 after recovering from knee trouble, and double-double Olympic winner Elaine Thompson Herah has battled a range of injuries.

Thompson Herah has run 11.24 which makes her the 18th fastest Jamaican this year. Among those ahead of her are Jackson at 10.78, Hydel schoolgirl Alana Reid at 10.92, Shashalee Forbes at 10.98, Kiara Grant at 10.99 and two at 11.04, Kevona Davis and Olympic relay gold medallist Briana Williams.

Speedball Oblique Seville missed the second half of the 2022 season after finishing fourth in the Eugene 100 and after a good start this year, has hurt a hamstring. If he is 100 per cent recovered, his races with reigning champion Yohan Blake and 9.89 man Akeem Blake will be compelling.

STRONG TEAM

Hibbert’s University of Arkansas teammate Roje Stona leads a strong men’s discus field. Three men – Stona at 68.64, 2019 World silver medal winner Fedrick Dacres at 68.57 and Traves Smikle at 68.14 – are clear on the measuring tape but at least three others, led by 2021 Olympic finalist Chad Wright, have the potential to beat the World qualifying mark of 67 metres.

The other big field event is the men’s long jump. 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle is so fast now that he often oversteps the take-off board. He’ll have to fix that to defeat NCAA champion Carey McLeod and the man with the best Jamaican jump of the year at 8.37, Wayne Pinnock.

By contrast, shot put queen Danielle Thomas-Dodd and 800 star Natoya Goule should have no trouble. 2019 and 2022 World triple jump runner-up Shanieka Ricketts is usually in this category, but Smith is one centimetre ahead of her this year.

There are four men who have attained the World qualifying standard in the 400 since the window for eligible marks opened on July 30, 2022, but defending national champion, Jevaughn Powell, isn’t one of them. Sprint hurdler Rasheed Broadbell missed the Eugene final but finished 2022 with a flourish and has started well this season. To win the Nationals, he must take out Olympic gold and bronze medal winners Hansle Parchment and Ronald Levy, NCAA winner Phillip Lemonious and resurgent 2014 World Under-20 second placer, Tyler Mason.

The injury bug touched the women’s 100 metre hurdles with Eugene silver winner Britany Anderson out for the season and World Under-20 champion Kerrica Hill hurt at the Racers Grand Prix. Hill is on the Nationals start list but NCAA champion Ackera Nugent, Olympic third place finisher Megan Tapper and Danielle Williams, the 2015 World Champion, will be formidable.

Andrewnette Knight fell while leading last year’s 400 hurdles final and she returns to correct that. However, Commonwealth champion Janieve Russell, Commonwealth silver medallist Shian Salmon and 2019 World third placer Rushell Clayton are all worthy candidates.

Action begins at 9.45 a.m. each day at the National Stadium.