‘It was hard work’
GREEN ISLAND, Hanover — Green Island High’s win in the Class 1 boys 4x100m and 4x200m relays at last weekend’s 37th Gibson Relays at the National Stadium was the result of hard work, says top sprinter Odail Todd.
Green Island were winning an event at the celebrated relays for the first time ever as they sped to victory in the 4x100m in 40.18 seconds and the 4x200m in 1 minute 25.74 seconds, both school records.
Munro College was the other western- based school to win an event, as Delano Williams brought the house down in the final even when he made up about 45 metres on the Manchester High team to win the 4x400m Open.
Williams who successfully defended his Class 1 sprint double at Western Champs earlier this month was clocked in 44.8 seconds for his leg, as Munro, the Western Relays champions in a meet record 3:13.12 seconds, ran even faster in Kingston, clocking 3:11.45 seconds.
Todd the IAAF World Youth 100m champion and 200m silver medalist and who anchored the 4x100m team told the Observer West on Saturday that it was a great feeling to finally win an event at the Gibson Relays.
“It is a good feeling but we were well prepared,” he stressed.
Despite losing their Western Relays title to Kingston College two weeks prior, Todd said the team was “nervous” in the qualifying heats and ran 41.4 seconds hand -timed for the fifth best time overall.
Coach Michael McIntosh told Observer West, the win was “special, this is for the entire school and community; now people will see the quality can come from Green Island.”
In the 4x100m final the team of Chadwayne Vidal, Gremeko Whitelock, Kevarie Andrews and Todd crossed the line first, beating Wolmers Boys and Calabar High.
Neeno Symester replaced Andrews in the 4x200m team and Whitelock who ran the anchor leg said they were hoping to continue their success all the way to the Penn Relays in late April.