Sasha Wells (left) and Charisma Taylor both qualified for the IAAF World U20 Championships in the girls  100m hurdles with times of 13.86 and 13.94 seconds respectively. They finished first and second respectively at the BAAA Junior Track and Field Championships which wrapped up last night with the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. (Photos: Phillip Grey)

With spots on two major teams up for grabs, under-20 athletes in the country came out over the past two days and gave it their all on the track and in the field in their respective events.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' (BAAA) Junior Track and Field Championships wrapped up last night the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, and the seniors will hit the track today.

On the first day of the junior nationals, four athletes met the qualifying marks for the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) World U20 Championships, set for July 19-24, in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Serena Brown was the first to accomplish the feat with a huge throw in the under-20 girls discus. She won that competition with a best throw of 48.20m (158' 1"), surpassing the world u20s qualifying distance of 48m flat (157' 6"). Tahj'Nee Thurston was a distant second at the junior nationals, finishing with a best throw of 39.44m (129' 5").

The other international competition available for Bahamian junior athletes this year is the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-23 Championships, set for July 15-17 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

As for Brown, she was just off her personal best throw of 48.39m (158' 9"), that was done in New Providence in January, and about a meter and a half off the junior national record of 49.66m (162' 11") that was done by Chafree Bain 16 years ago. Brown did improve tremendously from the CARIFTA Games when she had a best throw of 45.97m (150' 10") for the bronze medal.

The Bahamas had two qualifiers in the girls 100m hurdles. CARIFTA standouts Sasha Wells and Charisma Taylor, both under-18 athletes, ran 13.86 and 13.94 seconds respectively to finish first and second in the under-20 girls version of that event and qualify for the world u20s. The qualifying standard is 14.20 seconds. Taylor has a personal best run of 13.83 seconds and Wells has done 13.60 seconds.

In the men's version of that race, Tavonte Mott won easily in 13.88 seconds to qualify for the world u20s. The qualifying mark is 14.20 seconds, and Mott has a personal best run of 13.81 seconds.

Other outstanding results on the opening night of the junior nationals came in the under-20 girls and boys 100m
Moving up to the under-20 girls division, despite being just 15-years-old, Divine Parker ran 11.92 seconds and was just off the world u20s qualifying time of 11.80 seconds. Sasha Wells was second in that race in 12.07 seconds, and Alexis Gray finished third in 12.27 seconds.

Samson Colebrook took the under-20 boys 100m in 10.66 seconds, just off his personal best time of 10.62 seconds. Cameron Oliver finished second in 10.79 seconds, Christopher Moree was third in 10.96 seconds, and Tavonte Mott finished fourth in 10.99 seconds. Colebrook was just off the world u20s qualifying time of 10.55 seconds.

Johnathan Smith won the under-18 boys 100m in 10.84 seconds. Karon Bain was second in 10.96 seconds, and Keron Dean finished third in 11 seconds flat.

The under-18 girls 100m junior national title went Megan Moss, in 12.28 seconds. Rashan Darling finished second in 12.36 seconds, and Shericka Treco rounded out the top three in 12.54 seconds.

In the hotly contested under-20 girls 400m, Doneisha Anderson ran 55.61 seconds for the title. Dreshanae Rolle finished second in 55.91 seconds, and Marissa White rounded out the top three in 57.35 seconds. Britni Fountain finished fourth in 57.89 seconds, and Jazmyn Rutherford, the daughter of The Bahamas' first Olympic medalist in track and field Frank Rutherford, finished a disappointing fifth in 58.40 seconds.

The under-20 boys 400m title went to Bradley Dormeus, finishing in 48.27 seconds. Donovan Storr was second in 48.70 seconds, and Carlos Outten finished third in 49.18 seconds.

Over 100 junior athletes took part in the two-day junior nationals. The seniors hit the track today.

Sheldon Longley, Guardian Sports Editor

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian