Left: Holmwood's Schillonie Calvert celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the girls' Class One 200m in 23.58 seconds on Saturday's final day of the VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium. Right: Holmwood's mile relay quartet of (from left) Anastasia Leroy Bobbie-Gaye Wilkins, Sonita Sutherland and Schillonie Calvert pose with their school's flag after winning the girls final event in a championship record 3:35.26 on Saturday night at the VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships at the National Stadium. - PHOTOS BY RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL High School's track and field head coach, Maurice Wilson, credited hard work and solid backing for their fourth straight triumph at the VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships.
At the end of four competitive days of track and field, Holmwood scored 319 points, 16.5 more than Vere (302.5), who were followed by Edwin Allen (235), Manchester (187), Immaculate (83), Alpha (77.5), St. Andrew (72.5), Wolmer's 69), St. Jago (66) and Queen's 64.5).
"It has been a lot of hard work, " stated Wilson. "It wouldn't have been possible without the support of people like Lascelles Harvey, Pat Anderson through the Windalco programe, the past students headed by Vie Griffiths, along with Dave Anderson (assistant coach), Dwight Jones, Mr. Brown, Chester McCarthy. It would've never been possible without those persons."
This is also the school's fourth title under Wilson's guidance.
"We have developed a culture for winning and that was what I wanted to do when I initially started at Holmwood."
Though the lead changed often between themselves and Vere Technical throughout the final day, Wilson said he was always confident of victory.
He said: "During the 400m races the young ladies showed me they were running with a lot of heart. When I saw Susan Hall (Holmwood) run past Jura Levy (Vere), I realized we were going right down to the line."
When asked to highlight his main performers, Wilson said: "Fantastic Sonita Sutherland and Rosemarie White.
"Sutherland, obviously this young lady is world class and Rosemarie White, winner of the heptathlon and long jump, second in the triple jump, phenomenal performance."
Sutherland won the 400m in a record 51.13 seconds, the second fastest time by a junior behind Sandie Richards' 50.92; and returned later in the day to capture the 800m in 2:08.80.
Sutherland, the team's captain, said: "I am feeling good right now."
She too admitted feeling nervous, and added "...but we kept our nerves. We went out there and did what we were supposed to do."
She said it wasn't until after the Class Four 4x100m that she believed victory was secure. White won the long jump with a leap of 6.32m and the heptathlon with 5262 points, finished second in the triple jump (13.04m) and third in the 100m hurdles (14.47).
"It was hard, but I had to go out there and do it for my school to win the Championships," said White, who was competing in her final year at Champs.
"The win means a lot to me because going out on my final year I'm proud of the Holmwood team to know that they're making us leave with a happy face."
Schillonie Calvert, Holmwood's Class One sprint double champion, said she was very happy.
"Four years in a row ... oh my God, I couldn't do anything else, I feel very proud," she exclaimmed.
Calvert, a World Youth silver medallist, said she wasn't sure of their fourth victory until during the 200m races.
"We believed in God and we knew after the 200m, then come the relays and we knew we were going to take over back and take charge and go back for the title."
Bobbie-Gaye Wilkins, who won the Class Two 800m (2:11.56) and 400m (53.13), said: "I'm most definitely happy with my team's performance, it couldn't be better.
"I was a bit difficult but we kept focused and did our best," added Wilkins, who said she was nervous straight throughout the Championships.
- Anthony Foster
