High school stars set sights on Penn Relays

FOLLOWING another table-topping performance at the recent Carifta Games in St George’s, Grenada, local junior athletes will now turn their attention to competing for their respective high-school teams at the 118th staging of the Penn Relays, scheduled for Franklin Field, Philadelphia, April 23-25.

With just under two weeks to go, athletes, unlike last year, will have more time to rest. After a hectic five days of competition at the ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, the athletes had only five days rest before travelling to Carifta Games. They now have a longer rest before taking on their American high-school rivals at the Penn Relays.

At the Philadelphia meet, Jamaica’s high-school teams will be defending four relay titles, and athletes should be well rested as they look to continue the country’s dominance at the relay carnival.

Edwin Allen High’s girls will defend the 4x100 metres Championship of America title after posting 44.23 seconds to win last year. Three members of that winning team – Kereille Etienne, Reneica Edwards, and Alexxe Henry – will be back.

After their record-breaking run of 3:30.42 last year to make it four wins in a row, Hydel High will see the return of Sashana Johnson and Nastassia Fletcher, who has been part of three of the past winning teams. She will be hoping to end her Penn Relays high-school career on a high.

Calabar High and Kingston College are defending champions in the Championship of America 4x100m and 4x400m relays, respectively, and both teams will be under severe pressure to retain their titles.

A year ago, a solid Calabar team clocked 39.78 seconds for the win, but with a depleted squad this time around – with Khamani Gordon returning and the injury-plagued Jamal Stephenson also set to be in the team – it will be a mountain to climb for them.

Kingston College won the 4x400m in 3:05.93 last year – the second-fastest time ever at the meet behind Calabar’s world-record performance of 3:03.79 in 2018 – and they will be hoping to make it five wins in a row. However, with only one member of last year’s winning team, Jabulani McLeod, returning, it could take something very special for them to retain their title.

While Jamaican teams could capture both 4x100m relays, they could face strong challenges in the 4x400m events, where Bullis High out of Maryland will be a real threat in both sections and will be determined to improve on their second-place finishes a year ago.