Despite having taken on a new event for this year's ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships, St Jago High School's female team captain, Chrisdale McCarthy, has her sights set on defending her Class One girls' 100m hurdles and breaking the record in the process.

"I really want to break the record, as this is my last year, and I really want to leave my mark," McCarthy said. "I am very confident; I am looking towards a 13.2-second or 13.1-second run hopefully."

The Champs record for the event currently stands at 13.68 seconds and was set by 400m hurdles Olympic and World champion, Melaine Walker, back in 2001. Walker also attended St Jago.

Eighteen-year-old McCarthy has a personal best (PB) in the sprint hurdles of 13.60 seconds, which she ran for second at the Carifta Trials two weeks ago.

McCarthy, who is competing at her seventh Champs, will, for the first time, be doing the javelin event.

"The team is a little short in some areas, so the coach asked me to go over there (do the javelin), so I went," McCarthy disclosed. "There is a lot of competition, but with my determination, I know I can make the final (of the javelin). I have a standing throw of 30 metres so far, my run-up is not so good, but I am working on that for Champs.

"Preparations have been going very good; I have trained every day since the year has started. I have had a few niggling minor injuries, but I have not allowed that to stop me."

McCarthy has represented Jamaica at both the World Youth and World Junior championships. At the 2011 World Youths, she placed fifth in the 100m hurdles, but at the 2012 World Juniors she hit a hurdle in the semi-finals, got upset and walked across the finish line, which cost her a place in the final; a mistake she says she has "learned from".

- R.J.