Dyke readies for Edwin’s 10th title

Edwin Allen High's head coach, Michael Dyke, is exuding confidence that they will win their 10th title at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs), which begins today at the National Stadium and concludes on Saturday.

The nine-time champions are overwhelming favourites to regain the girls' title at Champs, after they narrowly lost by two points last year, totalling 277 points to Hydel High's 279.

According to Dyke, who was on Saturday at his final training session before the big event, Edwin Allen are ready to put last year's disappointment behind, as they are focused on being on top at the end, after Hydel's victory stopped them at eight consecutive titles.

"I am very confident going into the Championships. Last year's defeat has served as a motivating factor for the team, and this season there is a renewed sense of purpose, as the discipline amongst the girls has improved immensely, and there has been a lot more determination from them to do well.

"The girls are raring to go, and at this time I am very pleased to know that there are no injury concerns and come Tuesday (today), the Edwin Allen engine is ready to roll," Dyke said.

DOMINATE

Edwin Allen dominated the girls' section of high school track and field this season, which Dyke believes will reflect in their points tally at Champs.

"I am extremely confident that we will score much more points than last year, as we are projecting at least 345 points, and anything more will be a bonus," said Dyke, while adding that his only concern is among his sprint hurdlers.

Dyke believes the tenacity of top sprinter Theianna-Lee Terrelonge will enable her to win the sprint double in her first year in Class Two. Terrelonge has a season and personal best of 11.25 seconds and is a cinch for the 100 metres.

She is a threat to the Class Two girls' 100 metres record of 11.16 seconds, done in 2018 by her former teammate, Kevona Davis.

Terrelonge, however, has only competed once in the 200 metres this season with a time of 23.75 seconds. Many pundits have chosen Muschette High's Shanoya Douglas to spoil Terrelonge sprint double bid, because of the latter's limited participation in the event.

Douglas produced 22.85 seconds to win the 200 metres at the recent Carifta Trials, running in a positive wind of 2.1 metres per second.

Dyke is certain that Terrelone would prevail.

"Despite competing once in the 200 metres, I am confident that Theianna will win the double. She just ran that one race to qualify for Champs and based on what she has been doing in training, it is frightening. She has also expressed to me a lot of confidence that she will win both events," said Dyke.