RAYMOND GRAHAM, Star Writer

St Andrew High's Rushelle Burton

A regular finisher in the top 10 at the ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships, St Andrew High's pride took a blow last year as for the first time in over 10 years they found themselves in unfamiliar territory when the team ended an overall 12th.

This year, redemption is the main goal for their coach Leacroft Bolt, now in his 14th season at the institution. "Our objective is to return to the top 10," Bolt told Star Sports.

The coach, who was the man behind Manchester High's success at Champs in 1994 and 1995, thinks it will be hard to be Corporate Area champions, a tag the school has held for several years.

"Wolmer's Girls look the favourites to be Corporate champions this time around, but we are not coming to play dead as we will be hoping to give them a run for their money. I think we can get between 70 to 75 points."

Bolt added that his team is in the rebuilding process.

"We are building for the future as we have a very young team, especially in Class IV, which is a strong one and I expect a lot of points from it," he said.

"Rushelle Burton has been the top sprint hurdler in the class this season and I expect her to win the 70 metres hurdles and she should figure in both the 100 and 200 metres. She will also play an important role in our chances in the 4x100 metres relays," said Bolt.

He also expect points from Kaydeen Russell (70 metres hurdles), Gabrielle McDonald in the long jump and Stephanie Myrie and Jamie Lee, who both have cleared 1.55 metres in the high jump.

a very promising hurdler

"Our Class III is not that strong but we have a Class II that can hold their own," he continued.

Undoubtedly, St Andrew High will parade a very promising hurdler in Class II in the form Megan Simmonds, who represented the country at the Junior CAC Championships last year in Santo Domingo, where she was the Under-17 100 metres champion. Simmonds, who was later a fourth-place finisher at the inauguaral World Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, has been impressive all season and could be one of the stars of the ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships.

Bolt also believes a new champion will be crowned this year and has picked Edwin Allen to win it all.

"Edwin Allen should win, but Holmwood Technical are champions and will not go down without fighting," said Bolt.

"Edwin Allen cannot continue to make the mistakes like the ones they made last year but if they correct them, there is no way they should lose," concluded Bolt, who has been a national coach at both the junior and senior levels.