Intercollegiate Championships male and female 2013 title holders, G.C. FosterCollege and UTECH respectively, will face stout opposition from UWI, EXED, PCC and Mico Collegewhen they battle to retain their titles at the upcoming Intercol Track & Field and Cheerleading Championships, April 4 – 5.
In 2013, UTECH fended off the challenge of G.C. Foster College to lift the female title and prevent the Spanish Town based institution from claiming the double. In men’s action, G.C. Foster Collegeclinched the title ahead of UWI by a mere two points in a thrilling finale, after the UWI suffered a disqualification in the Men’s Sprint Medley and the UWI team will certainly be looking to avenge that close loss and win their first title in fifteen years.
Intercollegiate Sports Association 2nd Vice President, Rashid Hall is expecting a tremendous championships with several National athletes set to perform.
“I am expecting fireworks on the track and in the field, the athletic showmanship this year will be a heroic one. We have awesome young talent within the colleges and the stage is set for them to show the public that Jamaica’s continued dominance in the sport of Track and Field is in good hands”.
G.C. Foster College should anticipate another keen battle for the men’s title as their pervious victory by two points overall is sure to have left a bitter taste in the mouths of their UWI counterparts. G.C.Foster has a tremendous record of developing quality athletes and will need to depend on their performance on the track if they are to repeat as champions. Veteran thrower Raymond Brown the defending champion in the shot put who is in his last season of eligibility, along with Pole Vaulter turn triple jumper Xavier Boland and national javelin record holder Orrin Powell should lead G.C.Foster from the field to navigate the championships once more to Spanish Town.
Ventley Brown, Director of Sports G.C. Foster says, “G.C. Foster College, will once again showcase high level competition at the Intercollegiate Championship. There is no doubt that defending our title will be our first priority and as always there will be some record surprises over the two day competition which we will have to factor, but GCF intends to defend the Male title and also take home the female title for the double.”
The UTECH female team is expected to rely on the likes of Natasha Morrison, Janieve Russell, Stephanie McPherson and Simoya Campbell to repel the challenge of the contenders at the 2014 staging of the championships. They will be hoping to repeat their dominance in 2013 where they enjoyed a rather comfortable margin of victory beating their closest rivals GC Foster College by 23 points.
UWI is expected to mount a mighty challenge for this year’s Male championships, as they have been busy adding to an already improving squad. In the off season they have reinforced their ranks with quality personnel, including former World Youth Champion and World Junior Champion Odail Todd and Delano Williams respectively.
Rushell Clayton and Jodean Williams are expected to lead the charge for a higher finish in the female section following a disappointing third place finish in 2013.
The Intercol Championships is set to get underway from April 4 – 5 and promises to produce quality performances rooted in rivalries between the country’s premiere institutions.