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Edwin Allen’s Green targets Goule record

Published:Saturday | February 22, 2020 | 12:10 AMHubert Lawrence/Gleaner Writer
Edwin Allen High’s Kayan Green (second right) competing in the 2000 metres steeplechase open at the 2017 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships. Green’s teammate Jeima Davis is at right while at left is Jameaka Manning of St Jago.
Gladstone Taylor
Edwin Allen High’s Kayan Green (second right) competing in the 2000 metres steeplechase open at the 2017 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships. Green’s teammate Jeima Davis is at right while at left is Jameaka Manning of St Jago.

Even though Natoya Goule’s last race at Boys and Girls’ Championships was 10 years ago, the middle distance standard-bearer still has two records at the world’s greatest high school meet. One of them could be under threat come March 24, when Kayan Green of Edwin Allen High steps forth for her last Champs.

Goule clocked four minutes 29.81 seconds as an outgoing Manchester High School senior in 2010, and Green has the record on her mind. Speaking this week at Central Championships, the 2019 winner of both the Class One 1500m and the Open 3000 metres outlined: “Well, first of all, I’m planning to go to Champs to take the 1500 metre Class One record – 4 minutes 29. I was some seconds away from it last year, and hopefully, if life’s spared, I’ll get it.”

She broke both fields last year with mid-race surges and clocked times of 4.35.08 and 10 minutes 13.02 seconds to garner the first medals of her Champs career.

The versatile Green has run events as diverse as the 800m, the 2000 metres steeplechase and the 4x400m. Her deceptively smooth stride has carried her to a secure place on the Edwin Allen 4x800m team which is favoured to defend its Penn Relays Championship of America title in April.

The metric mile is her favourite event.

“The 1500 metres first because from my perspective, if I start too fast or start too slow, I will make up ground easily,” Green reasoned.

At Central Champs, which was staged at the G.C. Foster College for Physical Education and Sport, Green won the Class One 1500m in 4.46.62 on Tuesday. “I feel real great because from during training I had the mindset to come out here and dominate those races for my school,” she said before finishing in the runner-up position in two minutes 11.02 seconds to Calisha Taylor of Holmwood Technical High School in the 800m.

“I’ll be going to Carifta trials. Hopefully, I will make the team and I will have Penn Relays, and after that, I will continue my studies and go to college,” she replied when asked about her goals for the rest of the year.