Top schools in action today at Isaac-Henry Invitational

More than 1,600 athletes are down to compete at the seventh staging of the S.W. Isaac-Henry Invitational today at the National Stadium. The meet starts at 8:15 a.m.

Top high school female teams, Edwin Allen, Hydel and Holmwood Technical, three teams who are who are expected to have a dog fight for top honours at the annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Championships this year will be out in large numbers at the meet. Hydel will be led by Oneika McAnnuff, who will contest the Class One 400 and 400 metres hurdles. McAnnuff’’s teammate, Aaliah Baker, will also contest both events. Also expected to compete for Hydel are field event athletes Sharika Christie and Natassia Burrell.

Serena Cole, the World Under 20 100m silver medallist, will lead Edwin Allen charge, but will only contest the Class One long jump for which she is the defending champion at Champs. Natasha Fox in the Class One 400 and 400m hurdles, Tonie Ann Forbes in Class One 200m and former Immaculate Conception High athlete Jounee Armstrong, the 2019 Class Four 200m and long jump champion, are among the other athletes who will be in action for Edwin Allen today.

Holmwood will showcase the very hot Class One athlete, Rickiann Russell, in the 200m. Russell has been in tremendous form all season over the 400m and will be joined by teammate Abrina Wright in the half lap event.

The likes of Glengoffe High’s Shanika Thomas, Immaculate’s Essence Burbridge, Edwin Allen’s Forbes and Hydel’s Shania Myers should ensurer an exciting contest in the Class One 100m hurdles.

Defending inter-secondary boys’ champions Kingston College (KC), Jamaica College (JC) and Calabar High have also entered several of their top athletes at the meet. Adrian Kerr, Amol Glasgow and Emmanuel Rwotomiya are down to compete in the Class One 200m for KC, along with JC’s Hector Benjamin and Malique Smith-Band.

After losing once this season in the Class One discus to JC’s Josh Ty-Brown, Kobe Lawrence of Calabar will be hoping to avenge that defeat when the two meet in today’s event. Both athletes will also clash in the shot put.

The mixed medley 4x400m relay will be contested for the first time this season at a local meet.

Michael Carr, head track and field coach at Wolmer’s High School for Girls, will be honoured at the meet. Carr who has been at Wolmer’s for more than 30 years is a past student of St Andrew Technical High, the host school for today’s Isaac Henry Invitational.