BALTIMORE, United States — Jamaican high school coaches Corey Bennett and David Riley are optimistic their athletes will deliver strong performances at Saturday’s fifth staging of the Puma East Coast International Showcase at Hughes Memorial Stadium, Morgan State University.

The premier high school track and field meet, which returns to the Baltimore venue for the second-consecutive year, is expected to feature more than 1,200 athletes from across the United States and the Caribbean.

Athletes from five Jamaican schools, led by ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships boys’ winners Jamaica College (JC) and girls’ runners-up Hydel High, will contest the meet which was founded by Jamaican Olympian Sanjay Ayre.

Excelsior High, Holland High and St Andrew High School complete the Jamaican contingent.

For Riley, head coach of Excelsior, the transition from last weekend’s Penn Relays to another major competition has been eased by the individual-event focus of the East Coast Showcase.

“This meet gives them the opportunity to focus on their individual events, so they are a little more focused and motivated,” Riley said. “Not that they are not interested in relays, but now they get to showcase their own fitness and skills. We are doing hurdles and jumps, so they are very much zoned in on the competition for this weekend.”

Riley said he expects his athletes to be close to their best, provided weather conditions cooperate.

“They are in good shape, so I am expecting them to be close to their best in terms of performance. Once the weather is good I think I will be happy with what they do,” he said.

Beyond competition, Riley believes the meet provides valuable international exposure for his athletes.

“It is another introduction to international competition,” he said. “Competing in a different system and seeing how meets are conducted here, compared with Jamaica, is important. It helps them understand the importance of reporting on time and how the meet flows. It is a good experience and a good introduction to competition at the next level.”

Bennett, Hydel’s head coach, who also assists with JC’s programme, said the meet has become a valuable fixture on the school’s calendar.

“It is a meet that we have been attending for the last couple of years through Sanjay Ayre and we always look forward to it,” Bennett said. “Some years we have had brilliant weather and some years not-so-brilliant weather so I am hoping for decent conditions, at least.”

Bennett praised the quality of the competition and highlighted the exposure it offers athletes seeking collegiate opportunities.

“It is a decent meet to come to. We were at the beautiful Morgan State facility last year and we are eager to return. We have athletes from Hydel and JC who are looking for scholarships, and there are always a lot of scouts at the meet,” he said.

He also noted the importance of supporting Ayre’s initiative.

“Sanjay has always supported us, and we are glad to give back and support his programme,” Bennett said. “I am also hoping to use it as part of our preparation for the World Under-20 Championships later this year.”

Competition is scheduled to get under way at 10:00 am, with six Jamaicans scheduled to open proceedings across the field events. Hydel’s Zavien Bernard will contest the girls’ high school triple jump, while Excelsior’s Khi-Anthony Hall and JC’s Jaidi James line up in the boys’ triple jump. JC pair Denzel Phillips and Joseph Salmon will compete in the boys’ shot put while Hydel’s Brandane Malcolm is entered in the girls’ discus.

Jamaica’s challenge in Baltimore will be led by Shanoya Douglas, the current World Under-20 leader in both the women’s 100 and 200 metres, who is set to contest both sprint events.

The 18-year-old will be making her first individual appearance since completing the under-20 sprint double at the Carifta Games in Grenada last month, where she lowered her Jamaican Under-20 200m record to 22.11 seconds

Corey Bennett (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Zavien Bernard of Hydel High (Photo: Collin Reid)