New head coach at Calabar

Former inter-secondary boys’ champions Calabar High will have a new man in charge for the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs).

Veteran head coach Michael Clarke has turned the reins over to Errol Messias.

Clarke, who has been at the helm as coach for more than two decades, stepped down recently due to ill health and subsequently middle-distance coach Messias, the new interim head coach, will guide the team at the championships.

Clarke has travelled abroad with both national senior and junior teams to several international assignments and has been one of the most successful coaches at Champs. He is the only coach to guide three different teams to championship titles, doing so with St Jago High, Jamaica College and Calabar.

The Red Hills Road-based Calabar, who won their first title in 1930, have topped Boys’ Champs 27 times. Only Kingston College, with 32 titles, have won more. They also have the second-longest winning streak, with seven straight victories between 2012-18, second behind fierce rivals Kingston College with a winning streak of 14 championship success stretching from 1962-1975.

After winning their last title in 2018, Calabar will be will be hard-pressed to return to the top this year, as both Kingston College and defending champions Jamaica College have stronger overall teams and look set to fight it out for top honours.