Clayton twins going for records

Ever since they made their ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships debut in 2017, Tia and Tina Clayton, the sensational twins from Grange Hill, Westmoreland, have been growing in stature, at the event, and this year they are looking to write themselves into the record books.

Tia, who finished third in Class Four and is the defending Class Three girls’ 100m champion, went below the Champs record with her 11.37 seconds effort at Central Championship last week.

“I was hoping to run fast at Central Champs and I am happy that I did, so I just have to continue working hard to break the record at Champs,” Tia told STAR Sports.

The Class Three girls’ 100m record is currently owned by Holmwood Technical High School’s Sashieka Steele, who blitzed to 11.50 seconds in 2017 when Tia’s teammate and then favourite, Kevona Davis, false-started.

“To be honest, I did not expect to run faster than the (Champs) record at Central Champs, I was expecting to do it at Champs,” Tia said.

Tina, who was the runner-up in the 200m last year, is hoping to break Davis’ Class Three mark of 23.07 seconds.

“The plan is to try to get record and I believe that I can, because I have already run 23 seconds; and this time last year I was not doing that,” she said.

Tina has a season-best performance of 23.77 seconds in the 200m, the time she ran to capture the Central Championship title last week.

“The only reason why Tia runs the 100 and Tina runs the 200 is because Tia is the lazier one,” said coach Michael Dyke with a laugh. “I think both of them will be doubling this year, though.”

With the Clayton twins occupying the 100 and 200 metres spots, Dyke will have to find a place for Serena Cole, who finished second in the Class Three 100m last year.

“Cole is still very good, but she is concentrating on the long jump this year and she is doing well,” Dyke said.

Cole has been flourishing in her new event, as she leaped to 6.17 metres at the Isaac Henry Invitational on February 16, a distance which ranks her number one in all classes so for this year.