It was a long wait, but when Hydel High finally won the Girls’ Championship, there was a sigh of relief not only for the school but across Jamaica. They were the bridesmaid for so long, it was joy unconfined all around.

The Hydel Group of Schools was formed in 1992 and will be 32 years old in September. A relatively young school compared to its more illustrious rivals.

After spending 17 years as principal of Wolmer’s Prep, Hyacinth Bennett took the bold step towards her dream and opened the Hydel Prep with 300 students, and later the Hydel Group of Schools.

Some 18 years after, in 2010, Hydel entered their first championship and finished 11th with 46 points, which was decent enough for a debutant. They finished ahead of former champions Excelsior, Queen’s, St Andrew and the established Camperdown High.

Then the following year they made it in the top 10 albeit with fewer points — 42.5 points, but enough progress was made to indicate that they were on the up with the likes of Samara Spencer in the Class Three high jump and Semoy Hemming on the 400m picking up some early points. Ayiesha Morgan won silver in the Class Four, 100m.

In 2012, Hydel showed further improvements, stepping up to fifth with 114 points, their most impressive showing in just their fourth year to get over the 100 points barrier.

Once again, Samara Spencer put them on the board early, winning the Class Three high jump and long jump double, followed by Shiann Salmon in the Class Four high jump and with the likes of Osheca Barnes in the hurdles, Hydel was building from the bottom up to challenge the big guns, finishing fifth again, but with 157.5 points.

In 2014, they went one better finishing third with 229 points and they started to believe. In 2015, the pieces were put together for an assault on the title but they fell short, finishing second on 221 to Edwin Allen’s 321.

That started one of the biggest rivalries at Champs as Hydel tried desperately to topple the Edwin Allen juggernaut and for a painstaking five consecutive years, Hydel were the runners-up between 2015 and 2019.

In 2016, Edwin Allen won with 329 to Hydel’s 262; in 2017 Edwin had 316 to Hydel’s 265; 2018, Edwin Allen’s 324 to Hydels 289, but they were getting close, as this was the nearest they had come to winning the title, losing by 35 points.

In 2019, Hydel came even closer, finishing second with 284 to Edwin’s 291 — only a meagre seven points denying them that long-awaited glory.

The outstanding pair of Ashanti Moore, who led the chase winning the Class One sprint double, and Cherokee Young, who took the gruelling 400m/800 double, were at the front of their impressie assault on the champions, but they could not get their team across the line.

Then the COVID pandemic interrupted the 2020 Champs as fans were expecting the clash of the championships between Moore and the upcoming Kevona Davis from Edwin Allen.

In 2021, Hydel broke the 300m barrier but had to settle for third with 301 points. Edwin Allen again won with 340 to St Jago’s 309. Then in 2022, Edwin amassed an impressive 352 with Hydel back in second with 295.

It was a tall order for Hydel to overcome the 57-point difference in 2023, but miraculously they did the unthinkable.

Head Coach Corey Bennett, who also took charge of the Calabar team, entered the championships with a chance of becoming the first coach to win the boys’ and girls’ championships at the same time.

But while Calabar faltered to third, Bennett’s girls delivered an unbelievable title, beating their nemesis by a nail-biting two points. The championships went down to the final event — the 4x400m relay open — and Hydel finished second and secured a dramatic two-point victory, amassing 279 points from the 46 finals, while Edwin Allen ended on 277 points.

Hydel’s maiden victory was highlighted by the outstanding Alana Reid, who became the fastest female ever at Champs, dipping below the coveted 11-second barrier, clocking an amazing 10.92 and erasing Veronica Campbell’s 11.13 record which stood since 2001.

Reid also won the 200m and led a host of impressive displays by the Hydel girls with the likes of Kaydeen Johnson, who won the steeplechase and 3,000m; Shemonique Hazle in the Class Three 200m; Sherika Christie in the heptathlon; and Jody-Ann Daley in the hurdles.

However, Hydel will be hard-pressed to retain their title as Edwin Allen’s machinery is up and ready. But no one will rule against Hydel giving of their best, which might just be good enough.