Edwin Allen High’s girls’ track and field team is poised to make a comeback at the 2026 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, with Head Coach Michael Dyke exuding confidence after a year of regrouping and rebuilding. The championship is currently underway at the National Stadium and is set to end on Saturday.

Frankfield, Clarendon-based Edwin Allen lost their title by a mere 11 points last season. They finished on 266 points behind Hydel High’s 277 points.

“Well, I am very confident this year after losing last year by a few points. The team has regrouped and I think we are in a better place than last year. They [athletes] are raring and ready to go to reclaim their title,” Dyke told the Jamaica Observer.

Dyke, who has been head coach since 1989, attributes last year’s loss to several mishaps, including an injury to a top athlete and a dropped baton in the Class Three Relay.

“We had a little girl that should have won double gold and she got injured on the second day of the championship. There was a Class Three relay which we should have won but they dropped the baton among many more things. I think we gave up about 50 points just because of the mishaps,” explained Dyke.

Despite setbacks, including six weeks of lost training time due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa, Dyke is proud of his team’s progress.

“Throughout the meets so far, we are doing really well. We have dominated all the meets we have been to and we hope that form will continue throughout this championship. The team is motivated to reclaim their title, especially in honour of athletes and a former coach who passed away earlier this year,” he said.

“Once you lose a year, the athletes are going to be well motivated to come back and reclaim. And so, they know what is at stakes and they would have worked twice as hard and also they are doing this for our athletes who had passed away earlier on in the year,” Dyke further added.

With a squad of 60 athletes, Dyke is confident in their ability to win.

“I always come to win, and so winning is always at the forefront of my mind coming here. That is our strength, our belief coming in, and confident that we are going to do it,” he said.

The new additions to the team have also impressed Dyke.

“To be honest, the new girls are fitting in very well because they would have gone to many meets throughout the year and have been very well. I think their confidence levels are very high as well,” he stated.

Kirk Distributors, a long-time sponsor of the Edwin Allen High School girls’ track and field team, is also confident about the team’s chances at the upcoming championships.

Shanieka Edwards, brand manager for Confidence and Napkins brands, expressed her company’s continued support for the team.

“I am very pleased and the team is very pleased. The team [Edwin Allen] has always been a performer and they have proven themselves over the years, and we are proud of them. We’re also proud of all of their wins and all of their achievements,” Edwards told the Observer.

“It has always been a wonderful partnership between us and the Cari-Med team. We provide the team with essentials from our Kendel portfolio, including flour, rice, mackerel, and corn beef, to keep them fueled and energised. We also offer medication from our Cetamol and DPH lines to support their health and well-being. And, of course, our main sponsor, the Confidence and Napkins brands, ensures the girls are confident and prepared for any challenges they face.

“We believe in this team, and we’re expecting a win this year. We encourage the athletes to go out there, have fun, and give it their all. We’re proud to be a part of their journey and look forward to celebrating their success,” Edwards ended.

Dyke expressed his gratitude to Kirk Distributors for their continued support.

“Thanks to Kirk Distributors for the support over the years and we look to a continued partnership as we go forward,” Dyke said.

“This has really helped the team to progress in terms of their nutritional health and physical health. Otherwise, we would have gotten personal items plus nutritional stuffs as well — which we are exceptionally grateful for what they have done for us throughout the season and over the years — and we want to ensure that we do this one [win the championship] for them as well,” he noted.