Dyke happy Penn Relays return to normal schedule

Edwin Allen High's coach Michael Dyke is happy that the Penn Relays will return to the normal schedule this year after the organisers made changes at last year's staging.

Dyke, whose charges have dominated the high school girls' 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 metres in recent years, was against the new changes, which made high school boys compete on Thursday and Friday and the girls on Friday and Saturday.

Dyke insisted this affected their performance, as they finished second behind Hydel in the 4x400 girls' relay.

"I am very happy that the schedule of the girls has gone back to its original place, and it is very welcoming for the change. Last year, it affected the girls who were not accustomed to this, especially in the 4x400 metres relay, where on the same day, they ran both heats and final.

"Running the preliminary round of the 4x400 metres in the morning and then the final in the afternoon was very challenging for them. They are more accustomed to running the preliminary round on one day and the final the other day," Dyke said.

According to the organisers, the changes will be on a rotational basis annually.

Many Jamaican fans in the diaspora were disappointed with the new schedule, as most support boys' teams and usually attend the meet on the final day, on Saturday, when the boys are in action in all relay finals.

This affected last year's final-day crowd, which dipped in attendance among the Jamaicans.

It is expected that the schedule will rotate again next year, but Dyke wants the organisers to stick to the original schedule.

"I am hoping that the organisers will have a change of heart going forward and let the schedule remain as it used to be," said Dyke, whose teams over the years have won 21 Championships of America relays.