My best team ever – Dyke
IT IS early days in the 2017 track and field season, but after two assignments under their belt, defending ISSA-Grace Kennedy Girls champions Edwin Allen have sent a strong message to their rivals with a fourth consecutive title in their sights.
Edwin Allen have been the most dominant female team so far this season with overwhelming performances in all areas at the PurewaterDanny Williams and the JAAA/Puma meets, which were held at Jamaica College (JC) and Kirkvine respectively .
Coach Michael Dyke is very pleased with what he has seen so far, and has stated that this team is the strongest he has ever assembled.
“I am very impressed with what has been happening so far and it is early days, but we expect to dominate at Champs for years to come and this unit is the best ever at Edwin Allen”, said Dyke.
That is quite a statement considering the strength of some of his previous teams.
“We do not want the girls to get complacent, and I just have to keep them focused and hope they stay injury free,” Dyke continued. “They are in a winning programme and they do not want to give up their title, and this is the biggest motivation for them.”
While his recruiting has gone well in the lower ranks with a very strong Class Four group, his team was also been strengthened in Class One with the addition of former Holmwood Technical sprinter/hurdler, Gabrielle McDonald and Spalding High’s middle-distance athlete Kara Grant, who have both made big impression,” so far. McDonald was the top Class One athlete at the JC meet, where she won the 100m and 100m hurdles, while Grant was first overall in the Class One 1500m at Kirkvine.
The likes of Patrice Moody in Class One and Kevona Davis in Class Three were very impressive in the sprints at Kirkvine, but it was his Class Four girls, led by Tia Clayton, who clocked 23.78 seconds to win the 200m, who impressed Dyke the most.
“Clayton has come in and stamped her class here, and this Class Four group is expected to do great things as I can call on any two to run individually unlike the very strong team of two years ago that smashed the Class Four 4x100m relay record with sub-48 seconds, “said Dyke confidently.