No need to panic, says Dyke

Michael Dyke, head coach of defending inter-secondary girls’ champions Edwin Allen High School, has called on the school’s supporters to remain calm following a below-par performance by his team at last Saturday’s Gibson McCook Relays.

Edwin Allen, for many years a dominant force at the Relays, won just two events and were shut out of the sprint relays. Vastly improved Hydel High and former champions Holmwood Technical are poised to challenge strongly for the girls’ crown at next month’s annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships (Champs), but Dyke says there is no need to panic at this time.

Since winning the first of nine titles at Champs, Edwin Allen have always produced dominant performances at the Gibson McCook Relays and have set the bar high in sprint relays in the respective classes. Last year, for example, their Class One 4x100 metres team, which included the outstanding Clayton twins, Tia and Tina, sped to a magnificent record-breaking 43.37 seconds.

With only Serena Cole, from that winning quartet, back in school, they failed to defend the title. They found the going tough and had to play second fiddle to Hydel, who won in 44.25 seconds. Edwin Allen were second in 44 91. They also placed second in the 4x100m for Classes Two and Three and the 4x200m open, where they were the defending champions.

“There is no need for our fans to panic,” Dyke said. “People are accustomed to Edwin Allen’s dominance at the Gibson McCook Relays, but this time around, this was not the case, but what the team did overall on Saturday was a good platform to build on as we prepare to defend our title at Champs in a few weeks’ time.

“I was very pleased with our wins in the 4x400m and 4x800m, which were Championship events as we targeted those events. Unfortunately, we lost the Class One 4x100m event but were able to continue our impressive record in the 4x800m event, which we have been winning since 2016, and also, we broke the drought in the 4x400m, which we last won in 2015.”

Dyke stated that the girls are using the disappointments as motivation ahead of the championships.

“The team did not have their usual number of wins, but they went out there and did their best. Finishing in the top three in most of the events is indeed a confidence booster going forward, and things will get better and better in the days to come,” said a very confident Dyke.

On Wednesday and Thursday at GC Foster College the mettle of the defending champions will be severely tested once again as they will come up against title contenders Hydel and Holmwood and former Girls’ Champs winners Vere Technical, Manchester High, and St Jago High at the Central Athletics Championships.