SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Michael Dyke, coach of the reigning national champions Edwin Allen High girls, said he was pleased with what he saw from his charges as they returned to track and field competition yesterday for the first time in almost a year at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Trials held at St Elizabeth Technical in Santa Cruz.

Edwin Allen High had one of the largest contingent of 54 athletes at the meet which was one of six held across the island days after the Government gave permission for track and field to return.

Dyke said, “It was a great feeling to be back in track and field competition.”

He said based on the results, his charges “did very well; I was pleased”.

“[We] saw no real surprises, our expectations were met and once we can get all of our girls competing regularly, we will be ready for 'Champs' if there is one,” Dyke added.

Keith Wellington, president of ISSA and part of the organisation, said from an organisational point of view “things went very well and the feedback we had from all stakeholders was positive”.

Wellington said representatives from ODPEM and the SDC were on hand to view the proceedings first hand and said they, too, were impressed with what they saw.

From the few events that he said he saw, Wellington said it was “obvious that teams were training as we did not have many athletes pulling up or falling down as we usually see at the early meets”.

As expected Edwin Allen High dominated the female side, sweeping the middle distance events, while sharing the female sprints with Western Champs holders Rusea's High.

Aalliyah Francis of Rusea's won the Class One girls' 100m/200m double with times of 12.10 seconds and 24.68, respectively; Edwin Allen's Tina Clayton won the Class Two double with 12.42 seconds and 24.61, respectively; Rusea's High's Lavanya Williams won Class Three with 12.43 and 25.86, respectively.

Edwin Allen's Moesha Gayle won the Class Four 100m with 12.70 seconds with STETHS' Leeona Thompson winning the 200m with 27.73 seconds.

Bryan Level of Edwin Allen won the boys' Class One sprint double with times of 11.02 seconds and 21.91 seconds and his teammate Joshua Jean won the Class Two equivalent with 11.30 seconds and 23.70 seconds, respectively.

Edwin Allen claimed all three races in the girls' 800m with Rushana Dwyer winning Class One with 2: 23.29 minutes; Rickeisha Simms won Class Two with 2:20.36 and Rhianna Gayle claimed Class Three with 2:23.11.

STETHS runners took two of three boys' races as Adrian Nethersole won Class One with 2:00.31 seconds; Edwin Allen's Joseph Parks taking Class Two with 2:03.74 and Rashid Green winning Class Three with 2:05.19.

Edwin Allen's Christopher Young won the Class One boys' discus throw and shot put with an impressive 53.03m and 17.18m, respectively.