Two high-profile All-American teams will be looking to lower the colours of the local girls at today's Gibson Relays.

The team, organised by Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB), will be challenging Holmwood Technical, Manchester High, Vere Technical and Edwin Allen High for top honours in the Championship events.

Coach Shawn Phillip said his team, 90 per cent of whom are All- American, are here to take the 4x400m and 4x800m double.

"We have girls doing from 2:04 to 2:10 (800m) and 53sec to 54, (400m)," he explained.

Phillips said his team includes Whitney Fountain, who just ran 23.77sec, the fastest time in the country for high school; Phyllis Francis, who is also a 1:29 600m runner, and Amira Johnson, who is a 2:08 (800m) athlete.

Second-fastest time

Claudia Francis, Phyllis' younger sister, currently holds the second- fastest time in the US over 1,000m (2:50.43) and has clocked 2:10.76 as an eighth-grader.

Charlene Lipsey, Doris Anyanwu, and Dana Walsh are also in the squad.

Lipsey is an indoor and outdoor 800m All-American and has done 55.75 seconds for 400m and 2:07.46 for 800m.

Anyanwu clocked 53.6 seconds to help Eleanor Roosevelt High School win the High School Girls 4x400m Championship of America at the 2008 Penn Relays Carnival.

"We are confident we can take the double," Phillips said, adding that it will be a test for his athletes, who are now going outdoor for the first time this season.

However, the local girls, especially the ones from central Jamaica, Manchester High, Holmwood and Edwin Allen, will not be frightened by the Americans.

Carifta Under-20 champion Natoya Goule, who clocked 2:05.90 last year, Neisha Morgan (2:14.5), the Carifta 300m champion; Kimberly Brown (2:14) and Sharlene Brown (2:13.6), are Manchester High's likely team.In the 4x400m, Manchester High will depend on Goule, Shana-Gaye Tracey (53.33), Sandrae Farquharson (53.67), Denesha Morris (54.14) and Shantel Admas (55.10).

Jerry Holness, Manchester High's coach, said his girls will not be distracted by the American statistics.

"I am going out there to compete ... at times you cannot watch statistics, that can throw you off ... people have to just come out and perform on the day."

A strong team

Holmwood Technical also have a strong team. They will have in their squad the likes of Petra Fanty, Keno Heaven (54.71), Samantha Woodburn (55.20), Jenive Russell, Tamara Hunter (56.40) and Tamara Keene. Coach Maurice Wilson said "We are just experimenting, but I am expecting them to perform very well."

In the 4x800m, Heaven (2:06.36) will head the team of Monique Thompson, Shantea McLean and Petrine Plummer to upset Manchester and the All-Americans.

"I think we ran 8:53 on grass, and if we can repeat this time (which he said they should be able to) it's going to take a record time to beat us."

As for Edwin Allen, whose best chance is in the mile relay, especially with sisters Nikita and Ristananna Tracey, Amoy Blake and Shashawna Ffrench, the baton should be in good hands.

Not worried

Despite the top-class competition, Edwin Allen's coach Michael Dyke said: "I am not worried ... we can hold our own and do well.

"We don't worry about anyone and what they have done in the past, it's about on the day," he added.

Meanwhile, Clare explained the idea behind the American team's participation.

"The whole idea was to get a team from the diaspora, that is, made up of Jamaican Africans, and even our white counterparts.

"We want to demonstrate our support for Gibson Relays, putting it on par with Penn Relays," he said, while viewing the occasion as a part of TJB's 15-year celebration.

Kingston College's Keiron Stewart ... expected to run on both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

- Anthony Foster