Monique Spencer of Edwin Allen places first in the 4 x100 Class I high-school girls' relay final at the Gibson Relays. - Gladstone Taylor

Edwin Allen's coach Michael Dyke.

Edwin Allen coach Michael Dyke believes his team have sent out a very strong message to their rivals ahead of next month's ISSA Boys and Girl's Championships with an awesome all-round performance at the weekend's Gibson Relays.

The team captured five events for their best-ever performance at the meet.

Edwin won three of four 4x100 metres relays, along with the 4x400 and 4x800 metres events. The Frankfield-based institution took the Championships events, the 4x100m Class I, the 4x400 and 4x800 metres events.

"This is our best show ever at Gibson Relays and this is indeed is a big morale booster for the team going into Champs," Dyke said.

"The performance has really lifted the spirit of the team and my job now is to ensure that they remain injury-free going into Champs, and as long as that happens we expect to do very well," he added. Dyke admits the 4x400 metres was the most pleasing win as the team were winning the event for the first time and with a school record time of 3:34.69.

After an average start from Saqukine Cameron, a brilliant second leg from Monique Spencer opened up a big gap, giving Marleena Eubanks and Camira Haughton very little to do.

The stage was set earlier for Edwin Allen in the first relay finals for females, the Class I 4x100m. The quartet of Christania Williams, Claudette Allen, Cameron and Spencer did not disappoint as they became the second-fastest ever local schoolgirl team, after clocking 44.48 seconds to erase Holmwood Technical's 2007 record of 44.53 seconds. Only Vere Technical's Penn Relay winning time of 44.32 seconds, done in 2004, is faster.

Their Class II team clocked a fast sub-46 seconds to take the event, while in the Class IV 4x100 metres, they were a bit fortunate as they benefited from an unlucky St Jago High team, which held a commanding lead before their anchor leg runner ran out of the exchange zone. Edwin won in 49.02 seconds. Their 4x800 metres team overcame a great challenge from Holmwood for a close win in 8:11.39.

The only other female team to win relay events on Saturday was the Michael Carr-coached Wolmer's Girls'. A brilliant anchored leg by Shauna Helps brought them a win in the Class II 4x100 metres relay in 46.19 seconds, while Helps teamed up with her Class I colleague, Joneil Smith, to give them victory in the 4x200 metres Open in 1:37.54.

It was not a good Gibson Relays for former Champs winners Vere Technical, Holmwood Technical and St Jago High, as all three failed to win a relay event on the day.