KINGSTON, Jamaica — The preliminary round of the girls’ open javelin event at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships concluded Tuesday at the National Stadium, setting the stage for a highly competitive final. Defending champion Zoelle Jamel from Immaculate Conception secured her spot in the medal round with a throw of 43.24 meters, while Vere Technical’s Ramona Freemantle, another previous medalist, advanced with a distance of 39.15 meters.
In a surprising development, Holmwood Technical’s Shamanda Wilmott emerged as the top qualifier with an impressive throw of 44.65 meters, marking a significant improvement from her 17th-place finish in last year’s championships. The field of finalists also includes Edwin Allen High’s Angel Robinson and Immaculate Conception’s Dacia McDonald, both of whom competed in last year’s championship round.
Adding to the competitive lineup, the St. Jago High duo of Kris-Ann-Tai Byfield and Rihanna Anderson successfully qualified for the final, ensuring broad representation from Jamaica’s top athletic programs. The qualification results suggest an intensely competitive final as defending champions, improving athletes, and new contenders prepare to compete for the title.