Tue | Apr 16, 2024

Dyke puts Edwin rivals on alert

Published:Friday | February 21, 2020 | 12:36 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Tina Clayton (second left) of Edwin Allen High wins the Class Two Girls 200m final in 23.57 seconds ahead of Hydel High’s Shenese Walker (left), Clarendon College’s Dejanea Oakley (centre), Machaeda Linton (second right) of Hydel, and Shenequa Vassell of Edwin Allen, at the Digicel Central Championships at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport in Spanish Town, St Catherine, on Wednesday.
Ian Allen
Tina Clayton (second left) of Edwin Allen High wins the Class Two Girls 200m final in 23.57 seconds ahead of Hydel High’s Shenese Walker (left), Clarendon College’s Dejanea Oakley (centre), Machaeda Linton (second right) of Hydel, and Shenequa Vassell of Edwin Allen, at the Digicel Central Championships at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport in Spanish Town, St Catherine, on Wednesday.

Despite a comfortable margin of victory for Edwin Allen High School at the Digicel Central Championships, head coach Michael Dyke says that it was not that easy getting to their 12th-straight title, as they had to play catch-up after being in second place behind St Jago after Day One. At one stage on the final day, the scores were very close and fans anticipated a grand ending as, after 26 finals, it was Edwin Allen 202, Hydel 201, and St Jago 200.

Come March 24-28 at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls Athletics Championships (Champs), things could be different as both St Jago and Hydel have several of their athletes rested from the Central Champs. Hydel, for example, was without top Class One sprinter Ashanti Moore and Class Four 70m hurdler Tihana Reid, while top Class Three sprinter Alana Reid only competed in one event, the 200m, where she won comfortably. Dyke is, however, confident of another victory at Champs.

“At this stage, we are very confident that Edwin Allen will win another title,” he said. “We just did enough to win at Central Championships, as the girls were spread out in different events. Nobody really doubled up, as it was only in the relays I went all out.

Good qualification

“What I did was to ensure that I had good qualification for the Digicel Grand Prix final, as this was one of the objectives for us at the meet.”

Despite the brilliant legs by twin sisters Tia and Tina Clayton, Kevona Davis, and the Class Two 4x100m relay team, there were two other aspects which he felt very good about.

“I was very pleased by the Class Four girls in the relay, as I didn’t expect that fast time from them, also, the performances of our 400m athletes,” Dyke said. “This has been a weak area for us over the years and, last year, we scored no points, but this time around we scored 14. This is an indication that they have been improving, and this is definitely not good news for my rivals.”

Digicel Central Championships final Girls standings:

1. Edwin Allen 375.50

2. Hydel 336.5

3 St Jago 325

4. Holmwood 273

5. Vere 124

6. St Catherine 79

7. Manchester 66

8. Spalding 61

9. Clarendon 35

10. Bellefield 22

11. St Hilda’s 6

12. Brown’s Town 3

12. Enid Bennett 3

12. Dinthill 3

12. Bridgeport 3

16. Cedar Grove 2

16. Knox 2

16. Belair 2