Hydel points to youthful exuberance, experienced talent
AFTER coming close to dethroning Edwin Allen in 2019, losing by seven points despite having the upper hand going into the final day of competition, the Corey Bennett-coached Hydel team now has another opportunity to get things right and claim its first title.
Following the narrow half-point win over their rivals at the Central Athletics Championships a few weeks ago, Hydel will be hoping to transfer that to success at the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
However, they will once again find a motivated Edwin Allen in their way, with the defending champions peaking at the right time.
Hydel will find the most joy in Class 4, which, incidentally, is Edwin Allen’s weakest area. Here, the gifted Teixiera Johnson is expected to dominate the sprints, with her teammate Gabrielle Morgan providing good company.
Hurdler Arian Nelson should also help to give them quality individual points in the class, and the Class 4 4×100 metres relay team is positioned to continue its undefeated run this season.
Led by Oneika McAnnuff, the defending champion in the 400 metres hurdles, Hydel should also score heavily in Class 1.
McAnnuff may not be ranked at the top in her events going into Champs 2023, but she has shown time and again that she knows how to turn it on when it matters. In what is expected to be a close race to the title, her team will desperately need her 18 points, and there arent too many who will bet against her delivering the 400m hurdles and 400m double.
Alana Reid has run 22.93 seconds in the 200m this season and looks safe for the half-lap event, but she will have to get by Edwin Allen’s Serena Cole in the 100m. She defeated Cole at the Central Championships and lost narrowly at the Carifta Trials.
Led by Natassia Burrell in the Class 2 shot put, Hydel also boasts field events quality among its ranks. Sashana Johnson in the Class 3 long jump, Zavian Bernard in the Class 3 high jump, Chinloy Raymond in the Class 1 shot put, and Sherika Christie in the Class 1 long jump and triple jump open events should all deliver big points in the field.
