Kingston JAM - World 100m record holder Asafa Powell has the fastest time while unknown Chelsea Hammond upset Elva Goulbourne in the Long Jump in first day action at the Jamaica National Championships on Friday (22).

Powell cruises in opening round

Running out of lane five, in heat one, Powell cruised to an easy 10.20 victory, the fastest time of the evening.

He leads Clement Campbell (10.25), Nesta Carter (10.27), junior sprint sensation Yohan Blake ( 10.31) and World Championships silver medallist, Michael Frater ( 10.33).

6.87w win for Hammond

Meanwhile, in a windy women's Long Jump final, Hammond leapt 6.87m (w: +2.2) to beat former many-time champion Goulbourne ( 6.67m, w +2.4).

Hammond, a former University of South Carolina athlete, was delighted with her performance, by saying "I feel blessed".

"I am excited that I jumped that and I know there are more to come," added the 22-year-old, whose 6.58m PB from earlier this month looks to be clearly under threat.

In the men's 400m Hurdles first round, Markino Buckley (49.26) leads Olympic Games silver medallist Danny McFarlane (49.27) into the final. Favourites Isa Phillips, the NCAA champion, has the third best time of 49.27.

In the men's 400m, former world number one, Michael Blackwood, leads the qualifiers going into the final. Ricardo Chambers has the second best time of 46.44.

Allodin Fothergill of G.C. Foster College (46.60), Dwight Mullings (46.70), Sanjay Ayre (46.85), Edino Steele (47.24) and Leford Green ( 46.65) are other top qualifiers.

In junior events, University of Technology's (UTech) Francine Simpson and Wolmer's Jeanelle Facey won the Under-20 and Under-18 Long Jump titles respectively.

Simpson leapt 6.07m to win the Under-20 event ahead of Deandra Doyley (5.97m) and Salcia Slack of Holmwood ( 5.79m) in the Under-18 event, Facey leapt 5.73m to beat Yushanni Durrant of UTech (5.71m) and Melissa Hewitt ( 5.47m).

Simpson was pleased with the win, but disappointed with the distance.

"I jumped 6.51m earlier this season, so I am very disappointed with this jump," she said.

However, she promised "great things for the remainder of the season."