Ayre pleased with fourth East Coast staging

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND:

FORMER NATIONAL 400-metre runner Sanjay Eyre is pleased with the way the fourth staging of the The PUMA East Coast International Showcase, held recently on the grounds of Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, has gone, calling it the best ever.

“This year’s staging is the best ever, as there were some incredible performances from both Jamaican and United States high school athletes. It was also the best crowd attendance ever, with over 5,000 spectators,” said Ayre, a former Olympian.

As an example of the ever-improving performances at the meet, Ayre pointed to the breaking of several state records.

“We saw several state records from the American athletes, led by Elise Cooper, who ran one of the fastest 200-metre times this season among high school female athletes with her 22.77-second win, alongside Ryan Jennings, who clocked 11.35 seconds to win the 100 metres.”

“Among the boys, Tyler Burgess clocked a fast 13.28 seconds in the 110-metre hurdles, and Jayden Horton Mims also stood out. Mims was incredible in the 400 metres, where he surprised Olympian Quincy Wilson by winning in 45.24, the fastest time recorded by an American high school athlete in the event. He then came back and completed the double by winning the 200 in 20.36.”

Abigail Campbell of Hydel stood out among the Jamaicans, winning the 400 in 52.59 and placing third in the 200 metres in 23.77. Her team picked up three individual wins. Excelsior, with two individual wins, also stood out among the Jamaican males.

“The new venue and excellent weather this time also contributed to these outstanding performances. Fans loved the facility at Morgan State University and are hoping this venue becomes a permanent home for the meet,” said Ayre.

Ayre’s only disappointment was not seeing Kingston College, Calabar and the Edwin Allen girls in action.

“A lot of Jamaican fans came out hoping to see Kingston College and Calabar among the boys and Edwin Allen among the girls. Their absence was a disappointment, as these teams have strong fan bases in this area. Hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to see them participate,” he said.

“Coming off the Penn Relays, this is definitely a great individual meet for high school athletes to showcase their talents. It gives them valuable exposure and prepares them for their next steps as they move on to universities in the United States,” he concluded.