Edwin Allen look to send early warning at JC meet

EDWIN ALLEN High’s quest to regain their girls’ title at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) in March, after being dethroned by first-time champions Hydel High last year, will begin today.

Led by Class Two athlete Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, the Michael Dyke-coached team will be represented by 85 athletes at today’s 30th staging of the Pure Water/JC/R. ‘Danny’ Williams Development meet at the Ashenheim Stadium, Old Hope Road, starting at 8:30 a.m.

A qualifying event for Champs, the meet is sanctioned by World Athletics and athletes will get ranking points based on their performances.

Defending ISSA girls’ champions Hydel will also be present in large numbers on the female side while hosts Jamaica College, Calabar High, St Jago High and Kingston College are the top male teams.

Dyke expects great things from sprinter Terrelonge, a first-year Class Two athlete.

“Despite producing some outstanding sprinters at Edwin Allen over the years, I think Terrelonge is the most gifted of the lot and I expect a great season from her,” Dyke said in a recent interview in The Gleaner.

“I also expect some great performances overall today from the team as we start our quest for title number 10 at Champs. January 27 will be the 60th anniversary of Edwin Allen High School and the girls have vowed to give the school a big anniversary gift by regaining the title, so they will be highly motivated to do well at all the meets,” added Dyke.

Terrelonge will be joined in the Class Two 100 metres today by Maria Crossfield. In Class One Santae Wilson and Trezeguet Taylor will run in the colours of Edwin Allen while Moesha Gayle and Kerelle Etiienne will compete in Class Three.

STRONG GROUP

Their strong 800m group led by Monique Stewart and Rickeisha Simms in Class One and Toniann Allen and Sushana Johnson in Class Two will also be in action.

Despite losing several of their top athletes, the Corey Bennett-coached Hydel girls will want to show that they still have the goods to deliver once again.

They will be led by the outstanding pair of Alliah Baker and Shanai Myers in the Class One sprints and Shemonique Hazle and former St Jago High sprinter Olivia St John in Class Two.

Former Ferncourt High athlete Abbigail Campbell along with Kaydeen Johnson and Taiefa Gowe should make their presence felt in the Class One 800m for the Ferry-based team.

Other female teams down to compete today include a rejuvenated Vere Technical under new head coach Elton Coombs, Immaculate Conception High, The Queen’s School, Wolmer’s Girls, Alphansus Davis High, Camperdown High, Merle Grove High, St Andrew High, St Catherine High, Denbigh High, Ferncourt High and St Elizabeth Technical.

Hosts Jamaica College will be hoping for a strong performances as they will be well represented in all areas. Their strong middle and long distance group which was dominant on the road in preseason competition will lead their charge today. Dominic Amponsah and Tyrone Lawson will compete in the 5000m open while Rasheed Pryce in Class One 800m and Alex Baker in Class Two should do well.

Defending ISSA boys’ champions Kingston College will be well represented in the Class One by the trio of Rekelme Hunter, Ethan Gioko and Brian Kiprop. In Class Two Chris Wanyoike and Nahashon Ruto should make their presence felt.