Road to Champs | #Champs22
KC coach quiets favourite claims
Published:Sunday | March 27, 2022 | 12:13 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
KINGSTON COLLEGE’S (KC) head coach Leaford Grant has brushed aside assertions that they are the firm favourites to win this year’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
KC, who last won the championships in 2019, have been having an outstanding season, which saw them easily winning the Corporate Area Championships by more than 75 points.
The ‘Purples’ tallied 507.50 points ahead of ‘Champs’ title holders, Jamaica College (JC), 472. They were followed by former winners Calabar, 335.50, and Wolmer’s Boys’ School, 148.50.
However, despite his team’s excellent showing at the Corporate Area Championships and other development meets around the country, Grant said getting carried away is not an option.
“I don’t believe in favouritisms,” said Grant.
“We are going to take it one race at a time, one day at a time and then the points will add up and God’s willing, we will win,” he said.
“I don’t think that I have any pressure on me because when you have a strong team and a team that is together and we are working as one unit, we expect to deliver,” said Grant.
According to Grant, preparations heading into Champs, which will be held from April 5-9 at the National Stadium, have been better than they were last season.
“We have had a better year this year to prepare compared to last year, and the boys are pretty much confident and they are ready and raring to go,” Grant said.
“We always know that Jamaica College and Calabar are our main competitors but what we try to do is to focus on what we have to do,” he said.
Granted noted that the team is very strong through all the classes, but he is expecting a lot of fireworks from his Class Three team.
“This year I think that all classes are doing relatively well. I think that our Class Three will be doing well this year and we are expecting some exciting performances from them,” he said.