World Junior and Youth 100m champion, Dexter Lee, heads a list of 26 athletes released by the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) yesterday for the Pan Am Junior Championships in Trinidad.

Lee, who had a medical exemption from the trials, won the World Junior title in Poland last year, and the youth crown a year earlier.

Nickel Ashmeade, who was second in the 200m at last year's World Junior and second and third in the 100m and 200m at the 2007 World Youth, along with World Youth 200m champion Ramone McKenzie, are also included in the squad.

junior record

Nikita Tracey, along with Ashmeade and McKenzie, left the island yesterday for the CAC Championships in Cuba, their first senior trip. The girls' group also includes Jura Levy and national 100m junior record holder Shermaine Williams.

However, in a letter accompanying the release and addressed to the parents and guardians of the athletes, the JAAA said it was seeking authorisation for the athletes selected.

According to the JAAA, this permission was necessary because of the outbreak of the H1N1 virus in Trinidad.

"Please be reminded that the outbreak in Trinidad of the H1N1 virus was reported to be the cause of the cancellation of the Caribbean Games, a squash championships and football tournament, all scheduled to be held in July and August 2009," the JAAA stated in its letter to the parents.

"The Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association will therefore be seeking written parental authorisation for those athletes selected to go to Trinidad, as well as the advice of Jamaica's Ministry of Health," the letter read.

Teams:

Girls - Jura Levy, Gayon Evans, Audra Segree, Amoy Blake, Jody-Ann Muir, Antonique Campbell, Tamara Keane, Nikita Tracey, Shermaine Williams, Rosemarie Carty, Candicea Bernard, Micara Vassell.

Boys - Nickel Ashmeade, Sheldon Mitchell, Adolphus Nevers, Ramone McKenzie, Sheldon Williams, Darrion Bent, Dwayne Extoll, Akeem Williams, Jermaine Gayle, Kemoy Campbell, Deuce Carter, K'Don Samuels, Tarik Batchelor, Dexter Lee.