Levell, Lyston to face tough rivals at US East Coast meet

Edwin Allen High School’s sprinter Bryan Levell will face off against top American high-school sprinter Jordan Anthony in Saturday’s massive 100 metres clash at the East Coast International Showcase, which will be held at the Prince George Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland.

Levell, who has run 10.25 seconds this year, will face the ever-improving Anthony, who has run 10.14 over the distance this season.

Levell said he is looking forward to lowering his personal best time of 10.21 at the meet.

“I haven’t trained a lot over the past weeks due to the rain, but I know that I can handle this event,” said Levell. “I just plan to go out there and execute a proper race and hopefully, I can come out with a personal best time,” he said.

Another interesting matchup on the cards will be Brianna Lyston from Hydel High, the fastest Jamaican junior female in the 100m this year, facing off with American indoor 60m junior record holder Shawnti Jackson.

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.

Her teammate Kerrica Hill, who is the second-fastest Jamaican junior this year with a time of 11.16, is also down to compete in the 100m.

Juliet Campbell, sports marketing manager of the meet’s title sponsors Puma, said all is now in place for this year’s meet and they are looking forward to a very successful staging.

“It is going to be really exciting, because it has turned out much better than we thought it would be,” said Campbell. “Everything is in place, the sponsorship and marketing part of it, and I could not have done it without Olympian Sanjay Ayre, because he is there in Baltimore and I am elsewhere trying to finish up my work, while still trying to get everything organised for the meet,” she said.

“Several schools are already there in Baltimore. We are housing and taking care of them free of cost,” Campbell said.

The events down to be contested at the meet are the 100 metres, 200m, 400m, 800m as well as all the hurdles. Throwing and jumping events will also be on the programme.

The other schools that are down to compete at the meet are Kingston College, St Elizabeth Technical, St Jago High’s boys and girls, and Excelsior High.