Head coach of Kingston College's track and field team, Michael Russell, is confident that they will lift the boys trophy at the annual ISSA/ GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships.

Russell strongly believes that the North Street-based institution will win Boys Champs for the first time since they narrowly won by 1.5 points over Calabar High in 2009.

"We will be going out there to do our best as we worked very hard in training. We have also done very well in the various meets leading up to the Championships," Russell added.

"We expect a close finish, but we can pull it off. Our main rival should be Calabar, but we won't take any other team for granted. In 2011, it was expected to be a two-horse race between KC and Calabar, but Jamaica College won Champs that year. We are not taking any team lightly."

all-round team

The coach also said that KC's hopes rest on an overall team effort. "Our team is going to be an all-round one," the coach noted.

Russell also pointed out that, "The boys are upbeat about winning the title this year. They are in good vibes. We normally attend a church service on the Sunday before Champs start every year, but this year we did it yesterday (Sunday) at our Chapel on North Street. Thanking the Most High."

The coach went on to point out that in Class One - Clive Pullen (long jump & triple jump), Omar McLeod (400m hurdles), Antonio Henry (200m), Brian Smith (800m), Chadwick Dacosta (discus & shot put); Class Two - Shamar Wellington (long jump); and Class Three - Nathaniel Bann (400m), are the athletes, who he is expecting to lead the charge.

Russell further disclosed that McLeod, who transferred to KC's sixth form from Manchester High last school term, will run in the 400 metres hurdles, and "we will decide in the next 48 hours whether or not he would run in any other event."

"He (McLeod) is doing what we expect of him so far. He ran a personal best 51 seconds in the 400m hurdles earlier in the season, so I believe he will carry on at Champs," Russell noted.

-M.S.

TUESDAY

TIME EVENTS STATUS

2:30 p.m. JAVELIN THROW OPEN BOYS PRELIMS

2:35 LONG JUMP CLASS 1 BOYS PRELIMS

2:40 HIGH JUMP CLASS 1 GIRLS PRELIMS

2:45 p.m. SHOT PUT CLASS 2 GIRLS PRELIMS

2:45 70m HURDLES CLASS 4 GIRLS PRELIMS

3:15 80m HURDLES CLASS 3 GIRLS PRELIMS

3:45 100m HURDLES CLASS 2 GIRLS PRELIMS

4:10 100m HURDLES CLASS 1 GIRLS PRELIMS

4:35 LONG JUMP CLASS 2 BOYS PRELIMS

4:35 100m HURDLES CLASS 3 BOYS PRELIMS

4:50 DISCUS THROW CLASS 1 GIRLS PRELIMS

5:05 110m HURDLES CLASS 2 BOYS PRELIMS

5:35 110m HURDLES CLASS 1 BOYS PRELIMS

6:10 STEEPLECHASE OPEN BOYS PRELIMS