HOLMWOOD Technical High School Head Coach Dave Anderson is calling on the community of Christiana, Manchester, to rally around the team and to give it its full support at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), as he is anticipating outstanding performances from his athletes.

Holmwood, once a dominant force on the girls’ side of Champs, finished third last year with 202 points.

Hydel claimed first place with 279 points while Edwin Allen finished second with 277 points.

Holmwood has been yearning for the glory they last tasted in 2013, marking over a decade since their last title. Their dominance had seen them secure nine consecutive titles from 2003 to 2011, a streak interrupted only by Edwin Allen in 2012.

Anderson acknowledges that he lacks the depth and numbers to win this year’s championships but said he is confident in his athletes regarding the five-day event to be held March 19 to 23, 2024 at the National Stadium.

“I want to tell our supporters to be patient and continue supporting the team because I know there will be excellent performances from our athletes at Champs this year. Our colours will be flying high,” he said. “Though we might be off the boil for now we will not roll over and die. We will continue to push hard and hope they give their best performance, with some points coming our way.

“I think that up to the last meet that we competed in the majority of our athletes would have gotten personal best times — and that is showing that we are heading into the right direction going into Champs.”

Anderson says Holmwood is in a rebuilding phase, having lost athletes who contributed over 60 points last season.

“We are giving the team the opportunity to build a foundation for the 2024 Champs,” he said. “I am confident that next year we won’t be facing these challenges.”

Anderson says he is hoping that at the end of Champs his team will finish in the top three of the competition.

“We came third last year but I think that we will have to be at our best to be in the top three this year,” he said. “However, it is a championship and things do happen so we are going there with a winning mindset because I know that anything can happen during the five days of competition.

“Our hurdlers, middle and long distances are our strong points this year and we are expecting some great performances from our athletes in these events. They have been doing well for us so far and I am hoping that this will come during Champs this year.”