Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Holmwood Technical's Class Two athlete Audrea Segree is stretchered off the track after she was spiked in the 4x200m Open at the Gibson Relays at the National Stadium last Saturday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL'S bid for their fourth consecutive Girls' Champs title has been dealt a double blow.
At Saturday's Gibson Relays at the National Stadium, Audrea Segree, one of the team's prized Class Two athletes, was spiked in the 4x200m Open for girls while Class Four athlete Jenieve Russell injured herself while training on the school's compound.
Segree was spiked on the final changeover of the girls' 4x200m open event and Holmwood's head coach, Maurice Wilson, said this was a massive blow.
"This definitely can cost us championships," Wilson said. "This was someone we expected a lot from," he continued.
According to Wilson, a lot of track and field fans may not have known about her, but he reminded persons "that every championships we find an emerging 'star' and we believe she would have been one of them."
Last year, Holmwood surprised many with the talent of Class Four athlete Petra Fanty who won the sprint double.
SEGREE'S PERSONAL BEST TIMES
Speaking of Segree, the coach said, "We expected she would have reached the finals of the Class Two sprints and be a key member of our sprint relay team."
At Central Champs, Holmwood finished a close second behind favourites Edwin Allen, and were fourth at Gibson without Segree.
The 15-year-old Segree has personal best times of 11.8 and 24.8 over the sprints, but Wilson said she has showed signs of improvement every day.
"She has been improving every meet," he said of the girl who just started to compete for the school.
Her participation at Champs is now unsure.
"Even if she comes back for Champs she will not be in the type of shape we would expect," Wilson stated.
He went to explain that they will also suffer in Class Four because Russell damaged her quad muscle at school recently.
"It's a very big blow," Wilson said. "She would definitely stand a chance of winning a medal in the 200m and high jump, and the Champs is going to be so close that we cannot afford to give up points."
Champs start on March 29.
