In good hands - Dyke praises young J'can female sprinters

Track and field coach Michael Dyke believes World Under 20 double sprint champion Briana Williams and his charge, Kevona Davis, will contribute to a bright future for Jamaican sprinting. Dyke thinks that the pair of 16 year-olds and several other fine prospects will continue the nation's pre-eminence in the sport's quickest events.

Williams clocked 11.13 seconds last year to become the fastest 15 year-old in history and completed a swift World Under 20 Championship sprint double by winning the 200 metres in the national junior record time of 22.50 seconds. For her part, Davis wrecked the Class Two record books at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, with gold medal runs timed in 11.16 and 22.72 seconds.

Dyke is comfortable when he looks ahead.

"I don't think, especially among the females, we have anything to worry about", Dyke analysed.

Young prospects also include CAC 100m champion Jonielle Smith, her former Auburn team-mate Natalliah Whyte, the Commonwealth Games 100 metre silver and bronze medallists Christania Williams, a 2016 Olympic finalist, and Gayon Evans, both of whom Dyke coached at Edwin Allen High and 2015 World 100m finalist Natasha Morrison.

They join Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, four-time World Champion, and 2016 Olympic double winner Elaine Thompson in the race for the top prizes. In 2018, Thompson and Fraser-Pryce were the only two Jamaicans to break the 11 second barrier in the 100 metres, with clockings of 10.93 for Thompson and 10.98 seconds for Fraser-Pryce.

Whyte and Smith produced personal best times of 11.04 and 11.07 seconds respectively.

In the 200m, Shericka Jackson, the Commonwealth Games runner-up, led all Jamaicans at 22.18 seconds, with Thompson at 22.30, while Williams, 2014 Youth Olympic champion Whyte and Davis rounding out the top five at 22.50, 22.55 and 22.72 seconds respectively.

Meanwhile, as was the case last year, Davis missed the JC meet, which took place on the weekend, but Dyke says all is well with the powerful speed burner.

"She's (Davis) okay. She trained this morning (Saturday) and she's resting," Dyke shared.

Davis missed the latter part of the 2018 season due to injury.