Terrelonge, Dunkley tipped to retain national junior 100m titles

Defending national junior 100 metres champions Theianna-Lee Terrelonge of Edwin Allen High and St Elizabeth Technical's Javorne Dunkley are set to defend their titles when the 2024 JAAA/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships begins tomorrow at the National Stadium.

A record number of athletes, 31 girls and 61 boys, have entered the two sprints.

Sixteen-year-old Terrelonge who won the sprint double champion last year is the country's second fastest junior female in the 100m this season with a personal best 11.22, just behind Alana Reid who leads the way with 11.09.

Reid will compete with the seniors and this leaves the way open for Terrelonge to win back-to-back titles. Terrelonge has lost once to her peers this season when she was beaten by Lacovia High's Sabrina Dockery in the Under-20 final at the Carifta Games. Dockery won that event in a personal best 11.26.

Dockery will be hoping to repeat that feat and deny the defending champion but Terrelonge equalled her personal best at the recent French Foray II while finishing second to senior Shashalee Forbes and will be hard to deny.

Others who should do well include Alliah Baker of Hydel High, who has a personal best 11.34, and Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High whose best is 11.40.

It should be a more competitive among the boys. Dunkley leads the way with a season's best 10.23 set in the preliminary round of the under-20 event at the Carifta Games.

Dunkley who has a personal best of 10.17 will have to be at his best to stave off the challenge of Deandre Daley of Herbert Morrison Technical. With a season's best 10.26 at the French Foray II meet he is the fastest junior local junior. A year ago he was second in a personal best 10.08 at the ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships.

Dunkley is given the slight edge to retain his title. Both will, however, be wary of Hector Benjamin of MVP track Club who has a best of 10.34, Khamani Gordon of Calabar High whose season's best is 10.37, and Junior Harris of Swept Track Club with a best of 10.38.