Dyke

AFTER being favourites to lift the Champs title for the past two years, but failing to do so, Edwin Allen head coach Michael Dyke is oozing with confidence and optimistic that things will change this time around.

"The entire team is on a high right now and the girls and the coaching staff are highly motivated, we are just waiting for the Championship to get under way," Dyke told Star Sports.

Edwin have been the best team around so far this season at various meets and could go a long way in silencing their critics if they avoid their hiccups over the past two years.

"People must forget what happened the last two years as this time around things will be much different. We have many positives going into the Championships. One of those factors is that we have an injury-free team. Last year injuries to key members affected our overall performance," Dyke said.

In light of their dominance so far, Dyke believes there is much more to come at Champs.

"We have not yet seen Edwin Allen at their best and we are saving that for the four days of the championships. We have a better all-round team than last year and the girls have now overcome their mental hurdles so things will be much better this time around," he continued.

However, at the Gibson Relays and the Central Championships, Edwin brought back memories of their mental lapses as silly mistakes were made. At both meets their Classes II and III 4x100 metres relay teams failed to finish.

Dyke, however, sought to reassure fans that there will not be a repeat of those types of incidents at Champs. "We have spoken to the girls on these issues and we will be doing things different, these will be things of the past," he said.

The coach also spoke about the maturity of his team.

"I think the girls have matured now and they have put behind them what happened in the past. They do not fear any team as they are in a different zone and they can't wait to take the track. Several of them will be competing in their final Championships and are determined not to leave empty-handed."