Levell, Lyston for May 7 meet in US

Edwin Allen High School’s Class One star Bryan Levell and Hydel High School’s outstanding sprint talent Brianna Lyston have been confirmed to participate in the inaugural staging of the East Coast International Showcase Championships in the United States next month.

The meet, which has attracted top high-school athletes from Jamaica and the United States, will be held on May 7 at the Prince George Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland.

Olympian Sanjay Ayre, the chief organiser of the meet, said the event will expose the country’s junior athletes to top high-school competition in the United States.

“The aim of this meet is to create opportunities for our Jamaican athletes,” noted Ayre, who represented Jamaica at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. “I see where we need to continue the development of our junior programmes, and this will give the athletes another opportunity to compete on the international stage against good US high- school competition,” he said.

He added that the 100 metres, 200m, 400m, 800m as well as all the hurdles, throwing and the jumps will be on the programme.

‘TOP-QUALITY’ MEET

“This meet is going to be a top-quality one because we will have the fastest high-school athletes, both male and female, on show,” Ayre said. “Brianna Lyston will be there, and Bryan Levell, and we will also have the other top Hydel girls, (Kerrica) Hill and (Aneika) McAnuff, and so we will have some good competition,” he said.

Leon Powell, coach of Levell, who recently won the Carifta Games under-20 200 metres gold medal said his athlete will be competing in the 100m at the championships. He also said Delano Kennedy, who won the under-20 400m at the Carifta Games, will run in his pet event at the meet.

“This is another part of their development and it is out of the country, and so they will be exposed to other athletes in their respective events,” said Powell.

“I am expecting them to represent themselves and school well, because this is outside of the country and it will give them the experience of competing in different weather conditions,” he said.

Lyston who also won 200m gold at the Carifta Games broke the Class One record for the half lap event clocking a blistering 22.53 seconds at the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

Hydel’s head coach, Corey Bennett, has confirmed that his athletes will be taking part in the meet. Male and female athletes from St Jago, Excelsior and Calabar have also been invited to the meet.