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AT any track and field meet the 100 metres is the marquee event on the programme, and come next week at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs) the 100 metres will again take centre stage.

Usually the 100 metres finals at the five-day championships are run off on Friday evenings but last year the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) changed the schedule and the finals went off on Thursday night, the third day of the meet. This year there has been another change as the 100m will take place on Wednesday, the second day of the meet.

The Class One boys and girls' finals are the most keenly anticipated events and next Wednesday's crowd is expected to be the biggest ever at these championships. Both finals will be contested five minutes apart. The Class One girls' final will start at 7:45 p.m. with the boys facing the start at 7:50 p.m.

While there will be fireworks in both events, it's the the girls' final that will attract most interest as a record is expected. The 21-year-old record of 11.13 seconds set by Olympian and former Vere Technical star Veronica Campbell Brown is in serious danger as Edwin Allen High School's Tia and Tina Clayton are set for a titanic battle with Brianna Lyston of Hydel High School.

Five years ago, Lyston, then of St Jago High School, dominated both Tia and Tina producing age group world record times in both the 100 and 200 metres. Since then she has been plagued by injuries and the twins dominated the sprint events in Class Three and Class Two.

A year ago, Lyston left St Jago for Hydel to take orders from coach Corey Bennett. She missed last year's Champs due to the ISSA transfer rule and is now eligible to represent her new school at the championships. The break has done wonders for her as she has recaptured the form of five years ago and is in fantastic form with season and personal best times of 11.14 and 22.66 seconds over the 100 and 200 metres.

She defeated Tia in the heats of the 100m at the recent Central Championships clocking an astonishing 11.14 seconds. Lyston, however, did not show up for the final where Tina won ahead of Tia .

Yesterday both twins expressed supreme confidence ahead of Champs.

"I am very disappointed that Brianna did not show up for the final (at Central Championships) as my sister and I were confident of a one-two finish as in the preliminary round I ran under instructions from my coach. He said to just go out there and qualify for the final," said Tia who clocked a season's and personal best 11.41 when winning at the Carifta Trials.

PRESSURE

Tina who won the Central Championships 100m in a season's best 11.39 said they are used to the pressure and will do well at Champs.

"When we compete in championships and both of us line up together, it is a different story as not many people can compete under pressure but we are used to this. We really wanted Brianna in that final and (looking ahead) we are confident of a one-two finish at Champs. It does not matter which one of us wins," she stated after Tia suggested that she (Tina) will be the winner.

"I remember at World Under-20 last year in Kenya , I ran 11.34 in the semi-finals and Beatrice Masilingi (Namibia) ran a similar time and was seen as the favourite to win gold, but in the final it was a different affair as (under coach's instructions) we do not run hard in preliminary rounds," said Tina who scorched the track in the final in a personal best 11. 09 seconds to win the gold medal.

After winning the Class One 100m event at three out of the past six championships, with Patrice Moody in 2016, Kasheika Cameron in 2018 and Brandy Hall last year, the Michael Dyke-coached team will be aiming for title number four in 2022. After coming close to the record in 2019 where Ashanti Moore won in 11.17, coach Bennett will be hoping that Lyston will get the school's second win in the event at the prestigious meet.