From left: Edwin Allen High athletes Akaylea Brown, Harvia Ward, Tanesha Gayle, and Dashanelle Clarke react after winning a sprint medley race during the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
‘WE’LL BE BACK’
Edwin Allen coach vows return to top spot after losing Girls’ Champs title to Hydel
Michael Dyke, head coach of former ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls’ Athletics Championships winners Edwin Allen High, said despite falling short of claiming an 11th title at the end of the 115th edition at the National Stadium, they are not to be counted out.
A series of injuries and mishaps throughout the five-day championships conspired against the Frankfield, Clarendon-based school. They finished 11 points behind Hydel High, who romped to a second title in three years.
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In what is becoming as riveting a duel as historically happens on the boys’ side, Edwin Allen and Hydel have swapped title the last four years with this year’s 11-point gap being one of the larger margins.
“We haven’t gone anywhere. We will be back very, very soon,” Dyke told the Jamaica Observer on Saturday, adding that while they would be losing some athletes, they would be retaining a lot of their main points contributors next year.
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In the heat of battle on Saturday’s final day as Edwin Allen were closing a significant gap, they were struck a crippling blow when Ishna James, who was leading the heptathlon, fell in the 800m and was subsequently hospitalised.
Dyke said the misfortunes started well before that. On Wednesday, the impressive Andriana Pine fell in the semi-finals of the Girls’ Class Four 100m and then on Saturday, their Class Three 4x100m relay team dropped the baton.
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He said that after Pine’s injury the mishaps “continued to follow us throughout” the meet.
“Yes, this is a tough loss,” he conceded, “but even with all the injury setbacks, we could still have won the championships, but so it goes.”
After they had whittled down the lead to three points, Dyke said they had a good chance to complete the comeback.
“We knew that Hydel High would have gone ahead, but we were waiting on the points from the 800m, the 3,000m, the medley and all the relays to get back,” he reflected.
The Edwin Allen track and field coach said they will be ready for another run at the title next year.
“Most members of this team [are] still young,” he said, pointing out that Aneka Lowe and Romeann Gray, the respective gold and silver medallists in the Class Three 800m, will be back in the same class.
Edwin Allen High’s Santae Wilson speeds to victory in the semi-finals of the Girls’ Class One sprint hurdles during the ISSA/GraceKennedy Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)
Abigail Campbell (foreground) of Hydel High celebrates winning the Girls Class One 400m girls final during the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Kellyann Carr (left) of Edwin Allen High and Hydel’s Sasha-Shunta Hemmings are also pictured.
Michael Dyke, Edwin Allen head coach
