Star Sports' Gibson picks

RAYMOND GRAHAM

Star Writer

TODAY'S staging of the Gibson Relays will be the first event to be held on the new surface of the National Stadium this season. Competition is expected to be fierce, especially among the high schools as there is just over two weeks to go before the Grace Kennedy ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships.

Today, Star Sports will take alook at several of these events and try to predict the top three finishers.

High school girls

CLASS IV 4x100M

Unlike last year when St Jago High and Edwin Allen were heads and shoulders above their opponents, this time around competition is fiercer. Four teams in Edwin Allen, St Elizabeth Technical, St Andrew High and a vastly improved Excelsior High are evenly matched and have all clocked a low 49 so far.

1. Edwin Allen

2. St Elizabeth Technical

3. St Andrew High

file photos - Munro's Adam Cummings

CLASS III 4x100m

There is no stopping Holmwood Technical. A very powerful team which includes the likes of Dianai Johnson, Yanique Thompson, and Sashana Forbes, the Western Relays winners who broke the record at that meet, where they clocked 46.52 seconds, are well set to retain their title.

1. Holmwood Technical

2. Edwin Allen

3. Wolmer's Girls'

CLASS II 4x100m

Despite posting a record run of 45.32 seconds to win at the Western Relays, this will be a different affair for Edwin Alllen. The outstanding Christian Williams, the anchor leg on that team, cannot compete today as she only transferred to that institution last September from Oracabessa High. Vere Technical who have Shericka Jackson and Satima Chambers, the Central Champs winner in the event, will be favourites.

1. Vere Technical

2. Holmwood Technical

3. St Elizabeth Technical

CLASS I 4x100m

This looks like a battle between Herbert Morrison, Holmwood and Edwin Allen as all three teams, based on times, are the top guns. All three coaches of the top teams are predicting victory.

1. Edwin Allen

2. Herbert Morrison

3. Holmwood Technical

4x200M

With the three top teams focussing on the 4x400 metres, Herbert Morrison is expected to take advantage of this and triumph.

1. Herbert Morrison

2. Holmwood

3. Edwin Allen

4x400M

A cracker is expected and Vere Technical, Holmwood and Edwin Allen should set the place on fire. All three teams have been impressive so far, and a new champion will be crowned as following the awesome performance from the outstanding Bickle from the USA last year, they will not attend the event this time around. All three teams are loaded with some of the country's best schoolgirl quarter-milers and the winners could be the team that makes the best coaching decisions.

1. Vere

2. Holmwood

3. Edwin Allen

4x800M

Edwin Allen are the only unbeaten team in the event this season and have gone under eight minutes once. They were the best team local team at the meet last year, but had to settle for second behind the star-studded Bicke team, which broke the record.

1. Edwin Allen

2. Holmwood

3. St Jago

High School Boys

CLASS III 4x100

As long as the stick goes around the track successfully, the David Riley-coached Wolmer's Boys will not lose this event.

1. Wolmer's Boys

2. Calabar

3. Jamaica College

Class II 4x100

After holding a commanding lead at the Camperdown Classics, the Jamaica College team had a major hiccup on the final exchange where they botched their baton change. They will be hoping to send a strong message to their rivals, just before Champs, on the depth of their Class II squad this year.

1. Jamaica College

2. St Jago

3. Calabar

CLASS I 4x100

A fit Wolmer's team would have been unbeatable, but with top star Odean Skeen not down to compete due to an injury this season, coach Riley will not want to take the chance in running his top man at the meet, with the Carifta Trials and Boys and Girls' Championships so close. The Wolmer's team still has a lot of depth with the likes of Ashani Mitchell, Ramone Bailey and Julian Forte making it a formidable squad, but they will have to deal with two rural teams in St Elizabeth Technical and Munro, who are very hot at the moment.

1. Steths

2. Munro

3. Wolmer's Boys'

4x400m

Several weeks ago, Munro were the hot favourites to take home the top prize, following their outstanding display at the Central Hurdles and Relay meet at G.C.Foster College, where they clocked a season-leading time of 3:14.61. However, a slight injury to one of their athletes, Keneil Harrison, has affected their winning chances.

1. Kingston College

2. St Jago

3. Munro

9:30 a.m. 4x400 High School Boys' Open

10:06 a.m. 4x400 Institution Men

10:30 a.m 4x400 High School Girls' Open

10:58 a.m. 4x400 Institution Women

11:12 a.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class IV

11:18 a.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class III

11:30 a.m. Long Jump Men

11:30 a.m. High Jump Women

11:36 a.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class II

11:54 a.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class I

12:18 p.m. 4x100 institution Men

12:30 p.m. 4x100 Institution Women

12:36 p.m. 4x100 All-Age & Junior High Boys

12:45 p.m. 4x100 All-Age & Junior High Girls

12:55 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-19

1:00 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-17

1:12 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-15

1:20 p.m. Pole Vault

1:30 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls Under-13

1:45 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class IV

1:53 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class III

2:20 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class II

2:30 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class I

2:40 p.m. High Jump Men

2:50 p.m. 4x200 High School Girls' Open

3:10p.m. 4x200 All-Age & Junior High

3:24 p.m. 4x200 All-Age & Junior High

3:40 p.m. NATIONAL ANTHEM

INVOCATION

PRESENTATIONS

FINALS

4:00 p.m. 100M Hurdles Women Open

4:10 p.m. 110 M Hurdles Men Open

4:15 p.m. Lucozade Sports One Mile Men Open

4:23 p.m. Lucozade Sports One Mile Women Open

4:31 p.m. 4x60 Prep School Boys' Shuttle Under-10

4:40 p.m. 4x60 Primary School Boys' Shuttle Under-10

4:45 p.m. 4x100 Primary School Boys' Under-12

4:51 p.m. 4x100 Prep School Boys' Under-12

4:59 p.m. 4x100 Prep School Girls' Under-12

5:03 p.m. 4x100 Primary School Girls' Under-12

5:09 p.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class Championship

5:15 p.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class II

5:21 p.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class III

5:27 p.m. 4x100 High School Boys' Class IV

5:33 p.m. 4x100 Institution Men Championship

5:39 p.m. 4x100 Institution Women

5:45 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-19 Championship

5:51 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-17

5:57 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-15

6:03 p.m. 4x100 High School Girls' Under-13

6:09 p.m. 4x100 All-Age & Junior High Boys'

6:15 p.m. 4x100 All-Age & Junior High Girls'

6:21 p.m. Sprint Medley Clubs & Institution Men

6:25 p.m. 4x100 Masters Men

6:31 p.m. 4x100 Special Olympics Men

6:40 p.m. 4x800 High School Boys' Open Championships

6:57 p.m. 4x800 High School Girls' Open Championships

7:10 p.m. 100M Women

7:15 p.m. 100M Men "A"

7:20 p.m. 100M Men "B"

7:25 p.m. 400M Women

7:30 p.m. 400M Women

7:36 p.m. 4x200 High School Girls' Open

7:42 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class I

7:48 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class II

7:54 p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class III

8:00p.m. 4x200 High School Boys' Class IV

8:06 p.m. 4x200 All-Age & Junior High Boys'

8:12 p.m. 4x200 All-Age & Junior High Girls'

8:20 p.m. 4x400 Institution Men

8:28 p.m. 4x100 Institution Men Championships

8:38 p.m. 4x400 High School Girls' Open Championship

8:48 p.m. 4x400 High School Boys' Open Championship

Gibson Relays schedule of events