Holmwood will rise

Captain Russell not fazed by Edwin threat

RAYMOND GRAHAM

Star Writer

Holmwood Technical's captain Janieve Russell expects her team will continue the trend of performing when it counts, despite not being favoured by many experts to reclaim the ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships female title this year.

Based on preseason competition, Edwin Allen are favourites to stop the Christiana-based team from winning a record 10th title. However, Russell is not intimidated by this and hopes to lead the team to victory from the front.

"We have been hearing that for the past three years that we are going to lose our title, but we cannot stop people from talking and we know how to win and we will perform when it matters," Russell told Star Sports.

She will be doing the 100 metres hurdles, long jump, 400 metres hurdles and 4x400 metres relays and she is very confident of giving her team quality points in the process of helping them to retain the title.

good vibe in camp

"I have trained hard all season as my coaches have prepared me well. I expect to do very well and I am very confident that Holmwood will rise to the occasion for the four days of Champs. These are the days that matter, the vibe in the camp is good and we are looking forward to the Championships," said Russell.

Russell could dominate the 400 metres hurdles and long jump, but she is determined to do well in all events despite the likes of St Jago High's Chrisdale McCarthy, Keenan Davis, Alpha Academy's Kimberly Golding and St Andrew High's Megan Simmonds in the sprint hurdle.

"My personal best in the 400 metres hurdles is 57.71 seconds and I am looking to lower that time at Champs, but if I do not, I am still confident in winning the gold. While the other events are very competitive, I willl not be phased by my competitors," said Russell, who will be concentrating on the 400 metres hurdles this year as she looks forward to the World Junior Championships this summer.

Shauna Helps

Wolmer's determined to defend top-five status

Despite facing several injuries Wolmer's Girls coach Michael Carr believes that the team can hold on to a top-five position, although he admits things could be much harder this time around.

The best challenge for the corporate title should come from Wolmer's Girls who have shown tremendous improvement over the years and Carr will be hoping for another workmanlike performance.

"We are plagued with injuries to several of our key athletes, but we are still hoping to consolidate our top-five finish. I know it will be much tougher this time around as St Elizabeth Technical has a good team and I think ourselves and them should have a keen fight here for fifth and sixth," said Carr.

Led by last year's double sprint champion Shauna Helps, the strength of the team will be in Class III as she will be hoping to defend both titles. With Etlham's Aneka Brissett now out of Champs due to her school's late entry, she will be under less pressure and could easily defend both titles successfully.

If Wolmer's are to retain their top-five finish, she will definitely have to pull off the double. Helps has not looked as sharp as she has been in the last two years leading up to the Championships, but Carr says that she is one of those athletes who is carrying the injury bug.

"Shauna is one of those athletes in the camp who is not as healthy as we want her to be, and this has been a big setback for us, but we will not go down without a fight," continued Carr.

- R.G.

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Janieve Russell