Hydel, St Jago seeking to retain top titles at Central Champs

DEFENDING GIRLS’ champions Hydel High and boys’ champions St Jago High will be hoping to retain their titles when the two-day Central Athletics Championships begins today at G.C. Foster College. The meet starts at 8:30 a.m.

The final of the 2000m steeplechase for girls, to be followed by the boys’ race, will be the first events on the track.

While St Jago are big favourites to continue their dominance among the boys, the girls’ race will involve the top five finishers at last year’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) - Hydel, Edwin Allen High, Holmwood Technical, St Jago, and St Catherine High in that order.

This will be the last of four regional meets across the island that will guarantee a place for the top two finishers in the 100 metres, 200m, and 400m in all classes to Champs.

A year ago, in what was an epic and nail-biting affair among the girls, Hydel captured their first title after scoring a narrow half-point win to dethrone many-time champions Edwin Allen and then went on to win their first national title with another close two points win over their opponents. The girls’ champions at Central Championships usually go on to win the national title, and the teams will not be holding back here as it will be a big psychological advantage for the overall winners.

Hydel, Edwin Allen, Holmwood, and a rejuvenated St Jago High have all been in tremendous form all season, and over the next two days, it should be a tense battle, and outstanding results are expected.

Today will see 15 field events finals, eight boys and seven girls, while there will be 21 on the track including the 100m, 400m, and 1500m finals. Today, there will also be preliminary-round action in the 400m hurdles, 800m and 4x100m for both girls and boys.

Ferncourt High’s Rihanna Scott will be hoping to continue her winning form in the Class Four 100m today as she faces Edwin Allen’s Tashana Godfrey for the first time this season. The expected clash with Hydel’s Texeira Johnson is on hold as Johnson has not been entered for the event.

Edwin Allen’s Kerelle Etienne will be hoping to respond to Wolmer’s Girls’ Natrece East, who overtook her on the weekend as Class Three 100m leader when she clocked 11.67 seconds to win at the Corporate Area Championships. Etienne was the previous leader with 11.70.

Edwin Allen’s Class Two athlete Theianna-Lee Terrelonge looks set to continue her impressive form in the 100m, and her teammate Trezeguet Taylor will dominate in Class One.

Hydel, with their powerful 400m runners, will be hoping to dominate in the one-lap event. In Class One, former Ferncourt High standout Abigail Campbell has been in top form so far, and her clash with Edwin Allen’s Tony Ann Beckford could be the highlight on the opening day,

Among the boys, St Jago look set to sweep all the 100m with Raheem Pinnock in Class One, Ray J. Reece in Class Two, and Marquies Page in Class Three.