With his team narrowly missing out on this year’s Corporate Area Girls’ Championships title by a mere four points to rivals Excelsior, Michael Carr, the head coach of Wolmer’s Girls, said his team is now more confident and determined to deliver an excellent showing at next month’s ISSA/Boys’ and Girls’ Championships.

Excelsior tallied 360 points to win the Corporate Area crown, ahead of Wolmer’s with 356 points. They were followed by Immaculate with 298, The Queen’s School with 200, and St Andrew with 163 rounding off the top five.

The Heroes’ Circle-based Wolmer’s finished sixth in last year’s Girls’ Championship after amassing 111 points. The championship was won by first-time winners Hydel, who tallied 279, ahead of dethroned champions Edwin Allen, who amassed 277.

After their outstanding showing at the Corporate Area meet last weekend, Carr told the Jamaica Observer that his team is oozing confidence going into the Girls’ Championships. According to him, as long as the team maintains discipline and focus throughout the five-day event, he expects great things from them.

“To be honest, everything happens on the day, but our performance at the Corporate Area meet is an indication that the team has quality. If they come to the party on the day, then anything is possible with our team,” said Carr. “I intend to remain in the top, but where we fall, I can’t say. But the aim is always to move up higher in the standings,” he added.

“This performance at the Corporate Area will undoubtedly give the girls a lot of confidence, and there is no doubt that the confidence has lifted in the team. Some of them really believe that they can do well, so let’s wait and see because it is what happens on the day,” Carr said.

The veteran coach also highlighted that his team has a lot of quality compared to previous years, and therefore he expects great individual performances from his athletes both on the track and in the field.The Championships will be held March 19-23 at the National Stadium.

“The objective is to get some quality performances because that is a key factor. If we can move up the ladder, then we will do that and then move to another level, which is Carifta Games or the World Junior. That is what we are looking at,” Carr asserted. “I think that the girls are bubbling with what we call self-confidence and belief, and with that in store, anything is possible when it matters most. I would like to get as many athletes on the podium as possible at Champs. That is my aim this year, and that is what I am looking at,” he explained.

Mickayla Gardener and Natrece East, who won the Class One and Class Three sprint double, respectively, at the Corporate Area, are both expected to lead Wolmer’s’ charge at the Girls’ Championships. Carr underscored that he has great expectations for both athletes this year, especially East.

“I think that they are confident at this point because when you look at their performances at the Corporate Area Championships, especially East, she ran 23.27 in the 200m, and that is not an easy feat. To be doing it at this time and knowing where we are, I am very optimistic about her performances going into the championships,” he pointed out.