�Ӱ��԰�

Edwin Allen High School head coach Michael Dyke believes that his Class Two Girls are a very rare group.

The likes of Tia and Tina Clayton, Serena Cole and Brandy Hall are expected to create lasting impact at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships this year as they have been creating waves all season. At the recently concluded Central Championships, those four girls recorded an impressive 43.80 seconds to win the sprint relay. They lowered the mark at The Gibson McCook Relays with 43.73 seconds, the second fastest time ever by a schoolgirl team as only their 2019 Penn Relays winning time of 43.62 seconds is faster. Incidentally, Cole along with the Clayton twins were on that team and all four has been running some crazy times over the 100 and 200 metres.

Dyke lauds this group and has high praises for them going into the Championships.

“This is a very strong and special group of girls and they have shown that sign from they were in Class Three and last year we also had a strong Class two, so now combining them we knew that they would have been a serious force to be reckoned with this year and so far they have proven us right,” he said. “ They are very determined, very competitive and it is a very great fight here among them for individual spots as they are fearless and very eager to do well.”

Tremendous improvement

While most people know about the Clayton twins and Cole, not many knows about Hall who has shown tremendous improvement this year and Dyke spoke about her great improvement.” Brandy (Hall) was there all along. She came up through the ranks of Class Four coming up and it was last year in her first year in Class Two, she started to show her immense talent. This year, she has come to the fore front,” he stated.” She is a home-grown talent as she used to attend the primary school nearby (Frankfield Primary), and they do idolise her in the area as she is a community girl. She wants to do well and she really works hard and is very competitive among the twins as she also wants to be in the limelight as well.”

Dyke is having headaches in choosing his athletes for individual spots here and he thinks this is a good thing. “It is very difficult to choose the athletes for individual spots event and this is a good headache for any coach to have in terms of the qualities on hand. Sometimes you do not want to cause any feelings among them in deciding who do what so on several occasions I sit with the group and let them share information with what they want to do and they are happy as they become part of the decision making. Sometimes I have to take the bull by the horn and make tough decisions,” said Dyke who stated that with Champs coming up, he is yet to make a final decision on the make of the individual spots among the group.