Juniors depart for World Champs


Members of Jamaica's World Junior Championships team pose for a group photograph before departing the island yesterday for Bydgoszcz, Poland. Anthony Foster

Jamaica's team to the 12th IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland left the island yesterday.

The team, headed by St. Jago High's sprinter Yohan Blake, the only individual medalist from Beijing, China two years ago, departed at 3:30 p.m. for London en-route to Poland.

Danny Hawthorne, head coach of the junior group, said the athletes are expected to deliver their best.

"As usual we always expect the best from our athletes, and I am pretty, pretty sure they will give us their best this time," Hawthorne said.

Hawthorne, who is also the coach of St Jago's girls' team added that they also hoped to take home more medals than previous years.

Full squad: Females: Kaceya Jones, Jura Levy, Shawna Anderson, Danielle Jeffrey, Antonique Campbell, Natoya Goule, Shermaine Williams, Latoya McDermott, Gayon Evans, Shana-Gaye Tracey, Natasha Ruddock, Amoy Blake, Misha-Gaye DaCosta, Salcia Slack, Nikita Tracey, Kayon Robinson and Trish-Ann Hawthrone.

Male: Vaughn McKenzie, Dexter Lee, Nickel Ashmeade, Yohan Blake, Warren Weir, Rolando Berch, Kemoy Campbell, Ramone McKenzie, Akino Ming, Rasheed Dwyer, Oshane Bailey, Keiron Stewart, Andre Peart and Tarik Batchelor.

Management team: Ian Forbes (manager); Merlene Hamilton and Neville Myton (assistant managers); Jerry Holness (technical leader); Danny Hawthorne (head coach); Mark Prince, Michael Dyke, Leacroft Bolt, Claude Grant (coaches); Celia Innerarity (masseuse) and Charmaine Scott (doctor).