Edwin Allen boys emerging from girls’ shadow
ANY mention of Edwin Allen High in the context of Jamaica’s high school track and field championships and everyone thinks of the girls. But boys team Head Coach Leon Powell is quietly changing that narrative, doing considerable work, and the young aspirants are making a name for themselves at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs).
Powell has produced some outstanding boys at Edwin Allen over the years, including 2025 World Championship 200m bronze medallist Bryan Levell and Delano Kennedy, who was a part of the bronze indoor 4×400 relay team.
There was also Chevonne Hall and Jevaughn Powell, before he moved to Kingston College. Now there is Joel Morgan and, the surprise of them all, Romario Finnigan who had eyes popping as he progressed in the Class One 100m with the fastest time of 10.18.
There is also the little-known Kenrick Austin, who dropped a 10.27 and is in the semi-final of the Class One 100m.
But the Edwin Allen boys are living in the shadow of the girls who have won 10 championships and are heavy favourites for their 11th.
Powell noted the difficulty in getting the boys to that level.
“The structure and fabric needed to compete with perennial title contenders are not the same, hence a tremendous amount of development and support would be needed to think about that level,” Powell told the Jamaica Observer.
“An all-around balanced team is more important than individual standout performances to win a Champs title — such as having strong showings in areas such as pole vault for example where not only Edwin Allen, but the majority of the schools taking part in Champs need access to develop athletes in these areas,” he noted.
Powell has assembled 30 boys to compete this year, and he just wants them to perform at their optimum as he believes once this is done, the points will come.
“There are many other areas I can address — such as the financial burden to fund a team, the numbers needed and so forth — [but] until then, we continue to thank everyone for their support as we develop rounded student athletes to be able to matriculate successfully beyond the high school and Champs level,” said Powell.
