Edwin Allen, St Jago claim Central Champs titles
EDWIN Allen signalled their intentions to secure their first lien on the National Girls title at 2010 ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Championships by dethroning Holmwood Technical at the Milo Central Athletics Championships at GC Foster College yesterday.
In the Boys’ section, St Jago easily retain their crown.
In fact, the girls of Holmwood, who are also the seven-time defending champions for the ISSA national title, finished third at the two-day meet with 321.5 points, 50 points shy of the Michael Dyke-coached Edwin Allen team, which amassed 371.5 points.
“It is a good feeling winning my first Championship, even though ‘Central Champs’ is not always one of the true indicators of what will happen at Girls’ Championships,” Dyke told Sporting World.
“There are girls who will perform at Girls’ Championships, who were not here, but all in all, I feel very happy about the victory,” he added.
St Jago finished second with 337, while Vere Technical (190) and Manchester (163.5) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Danny Hawthorne-coached St Jago team retained the Boys’ crown with 289.5 points, more than 100 ahead of Holmwood 164. Edwin Allen with 120.5, Manchester 84, and Old Harbour 58 rounded out the top five.
Coached Hawthorne was satisfied with the showing of his charges and hopes they can do a similar job at Champs 2010 as St Jago hunt their first hold on the title since 1993, and third overall.
“I think the team did as well expected of them. They came out and decimated the whole field and I just wish that they continue to grow from strength to strength from here and hopefully we can repeat this performance at Boys’ Champs,” he told Sporting World.
In the meantime, nine records fell on yesterday’s second day of competition to take the overall tally for the meet to 19.
Chevelle McDonald (left) of St Jago triumphs after producing a sprint finish to win the Class Two Girls 1,500 metres in a new record of 4 minutes 31.77 on yesterday’s second and final day of the Milo Central Championships at GC Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine. The previous record of 4 minutes 45.53 seconds was done by Molly-Ann Blake, also of St Jago, in 2009.
(Photo: Karl McLarty)