By Anthony Foster, Trackalerts.Com Writer
The 2014 track & field season, or maybe I should say the first meet of 2014, got underway on Saturday, January 4 with the Pure Water-sponsored Jamaica College Development Meet.
This being the first meet of the year normally sees all the top schools, but not necessary the top athletes.
Calabar and Holmwood, the 2013 boys and girls’ Champs winners did not parade their stars.
The Calabar pair of Javon Francis, who singlehandedly carried Jamaica to silver in the men's 1600m relays at last year's Moscow World Championships and World Youth 200m champion Michael O'Hara were absent.
And Homwood's Yanique Thompson, who won the World Youth 100m hurdles last year, in a world youth record time also skipped the opening meet.
The meet also had some problems of its own, apart from seeing the crowd getting smaller each year, there were few setbacks.
One incident I witnessed personally, was a well known official abandoned his duties in the middle of the Girls’ Classes 1 and 2 long jump. Before leaving the official took away with him flags and tape measure.
Despite pleas from several others, including coaches, to to get back the items, the official went to his vehicle and left.
But quick response from other officials resulted in the event continuing.
The day's other delay came as a result of a malfunctioned electric timing during the Girls’ Class 3 100m event.
This incident held up the meet for close to 30 minutes before the officials turned to hand-time.
Among the highlights of the meet were Kingston College’s Akeem Bllomfield, who clocked 10.5 to win the Boys’ Class 2 100m and Rochelle Burton of St. Andrew High and Wolmer’s Shauna Helps who started their 2014 rivalry with a close finish in the Girls Class 2 100m event.
