STETHS look to retain boys’, girls’ titles at Western Champs

ST ELIZABETH Technical High School (STETHS) will be hoping to retain both the boys’ and girls’ titles when the Cornwall Athletics Association Western Championships gets under way this morning at GC Foster College of Sports and Physical Education, starting at 8:45 a.m.

Dwayne Jarrett, head coach of the girls’ team which amassed 358 points last year to turn back Mt Alvernia High on 254 and William Knibb High on 186 into second and third, respectively, is confident that his team can pull off the win and retain their title.

“We are not in the same position as last year due to the hurricane which affected our preparation, especially the damage done to the female dormitory, but I think we do have enough depth to go all the way. We will be competitive in all disciplines and I think that will take us home,” said Jarrett.

With his boys’ and girls’ teams having a good season, head coach of William Knibb, Rodrick Myles, is looking forward to the championships despite playing down his chances of going all the way.

“We were affected big time in our preparation by the hurricane and the mission is different this time as it is about getting the athletes to enjoy themselves and looking at the bigger picture, as this will be the final meet for some of them,” said Myles, who saw his boys’ team come a close second with 305 points behind winners St Elizabeth Technical on 335.5 points.

Both the 100 and 200 metres for Class One boys are expected to be very hot today as they will feature the likes of Sanjay Seymore of William Knibb, Requelme Reid of Cornwall College, Tavaine Stewart of Herbert Morrison Technical and Johan Ramaldo Smythe of Holland High.

All eyes among the girls will be on the outstanding national junior athlete Shanoya Douglas who will contest the Class One 100 and 200 metres. Douglas, who won both titles last year in Class Two while competing for Muschett High, will turn out for her new school, Holland High, and is the overwhelming favourite to take both events in her first year in the class.

Douglas has been in spectacular form in both short sprint events and the 400m this season where she has gone sub-53 seconds. She lost to Edwin Allen High’s Alexee Henry in the 100m at the R. Danny Williams/JC/Purewater meet in January at Jamaica College and she will want to prove that was just a small hiccup along the way. She will also want to show her readiness for next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Championships in the event.

– Raymond Graham