Real speed expected to invade GC Foster for inaugural Sprintfest

JUST AROUND two hours of real speed is expected to be on show this Friday at the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sports, as the inaugural staging of the Ondirun/GC Foster Sprintfest track meet will be held at the institution track, starting at 2:30 p.m.

The meet, held in collaboration with track and field data management company, Ondirun, headed by Wayne Long and GC Foster College, will see athletes competing over 100 metres only. The number of entries on Monday when entries closed was pleasing, with athletes from high schools and club teams across the island down to compete.

“This is to parade preseason competition for athletes in a safe surrounding. It is also to demonstrate the concept of a ‘Time-Limited track meet’ and to help the GC Foster students successfully execute their own track meet,” said Long.

With many of the best athletes around the world now running at 60 metres, there have been questions about going further this early.

NOT PROBLEMATIC

But according to Maurice Wilson, principal of GC Foster and head coach of Sprintec, running the 100 metres this early is not problematic.

“It does not matter when in the season you run 100 metres. Athletes all over the world are running 60 metres in February. Once athletes are well prepared by their coaches this is not a problem,” said Wilson, who is also the technical leader of the country’s senior track and field programme.

The Girls Class IVs will jump out of the blocks first with the clubs and institutions closing out the show, slated to end at 4:30 p.m.

Some interesting battles are down to take place with Hydel High School’s Brianna Lyston leading the way in the Class I Girl’s event.

Lyston, who started the season on a high for her new school after an easy 11.92-second clocking at the PureWater/JC R Danny Williams meet in January, will be hoping for another stellar performance. The likes of Lyston’s teammate, Oneika McAnnuf, Edwin Allen High School’s Serena Cole, and Sheniqua Vassell, as well as St Jago High School’s Macheda Linton, should make that particular event an interesting affair.

Among the males in Class I, Kingston College’s Yourie Lawrence, St Jago’s Gregory Prince and the Jamaica College duo of Hector Benjamin and Christopher Scott are the leading lights here. Mark Miller of Jamaica College, Balvin Israel of St Jago and Aaron Thomas of Kingston College are three of the top athletes who are expected to fight for the top placings in Class II.