Sub-11-second run on the cards for Champs
Published:Thursday | March 24, 2022 | 12:09 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
EDWIN ALLEN’S head coach, Michael Dyke, believes that it is quite possible that the girls’ Class One 100 metres at this year’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships could produce its first ever sub-11 clocking.
Jamaica’s Class One girls have been burning up the track at this season’s development meets across the island, and the 100m is billed as one of the most anticipated races of this year’s championships.
Hydel’s Brianna Lyston has been outstanding in both the 100m and 200m this year. She has run a personal best time of 11.14 seconds in the 100m and 22.66 in the 200m.
Edwin Allen’s Tina Clayton, the World Under-20 100m champion, has a personal best of 11.09 and a season’s best of 11.39. Her twin sister, Tia, the Carifta Under-20 100m champion, has a personal best time of 11.29 and a season’s best time of 11.39.
Dyke, who is hoping to guide Edwin Allen to their eighth straight title this year, said based on the times that they have run this season, he expects Veronica Campbell-Brown’s Class One record of 11.13 seconds, set in 2001, to be broken at this year’s championships.
“I think if the conditions are right and everybody is fit and the way the schedule is structured, it is very possible that we will have a sub-11 time at champs,” said Dyke.
“This is based on the level of competition that exists right now, especially in Class One,” he said.
According to Dyke, the Claytons have been training well this season and therefore it is also quite possible both of them could dip below the 11-second barrier at ‘Champs’.
“They have always risen to the occasion whenever it is necessary, and I know that this championship will be no different,” said Dyke.
“I am quite confident that both of them will run personal best times at Champs once the conditions are right.”
Dyke also believes his team is solid, for the most part, but there are a few weak areas in the squad that he has been working assiduously to improve ahead of the April 5-9 championships.
“We have a well-rounded team, but we are a little suspect in our hurdles, and we are trying to fix that within the next few days that we have left before Champs,” he said.