6 months ago
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:
ON A BRIGHT and sunny day at the Penn Relays yesterday, Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High produced brilliant performances to capture the Championship of America 4x400 metres and 4x100m titles respectively inside the Franklin Field Stadium in Philadelphia.
KC clocked an impressive 3:05.93 to become the first Jamaican team to win four consecutive 4x400m titles. They turned back favourites Bullis High out of Maryland, who finished second in 3:06.31 – a new American high school record, bettering Long Beach Poly’s 2007 mark of 3:09.89. Calabar finished third in 3:06.52, Excelsior were fourth in 3:07.98, and Jamaica College fifth in 3:08.06. The other Jamaican team in the final, St Elizabeth Technical, were disqualified.
Running without their top quarter-miler this season, Tahj Marques White, who did not make the trip to Philadelphia, KC got a strong start from Jabulani McLeod. With Markell Smith on the second leg, and Roshawn Lee on third, Marcinho Rose, a member of the previous three winning teams, was given enough of a cushion to hold off Bullis High’s Olympian Quincy Wilson. Wilson clocked a record-breaking Penn Relays High school split of 43.99 but he could not reel in the outstanding Rose.
KC coach Richard Smith was overjoyed after his team’s success.
“It is a beautiful and wonderful feeling knowing that KC have created history once again, and doing so on our 100th anniversary. I am very proud of my boys, especially knowing that one of our top athletes was not here, and they were still able to go all the way. Despite the talk about Bullis coming into the meet, we were always confident because we know the depth of our team,” said Smith.
Favourites Calabar did not disappoint in the 4x100m as the quartet of Jamal Stephenson, Shaquane Gordon, Dijon Swaine, and Khamani Gordon (in running order) broke an eight-year drought by winning the event in 39.79. Archbishop John Carroll out of Washington, DC, were second in 40.04.
KC were the best of the other Jamaican teams, finishing third in 40.16. They were followed by Excelsior in fourth (40.36), Edwin Allen fifth (41.01), Jamaica College sixth (41.04), St Elizabeth Technical seventh (41.06), and William Knibb eighth in 41.10.
Calabar, who entered the final as the fastest qualifiers after winning their heat the previous day in 40.24, got off to a blazing start by the vastly improved Stephenson. From there, it was smooth sailing for the Corey Bennett-coached team, as they went on to capture their ninth title. This tied them with Mercersburg Academy (Pennsylvania), Boys and Girls’ High (New York), and Jamaica’s Camperdown High for the most wins in the event.
Bennett praised the Calabar quartet for their hard work.
“Words cannot explain, as these guys put in the work. All they had to do was stay healthy. Some of these guys are coming back from the Carifta Games, where they did well, and thank God for the victory,” he said.
Despite winning easily and being the favourites, Bennett stated that there were still some nerves ahead of the race.
“There are always nerves when a lot is at stake and a lot of expectations. We were always confident, as these guys have been working as a team for the past three years, and they’ve been coming to the Penn Relays together. I would like to thank all those who were involved in making this possible,” said Bennett, who singled out past student and former athlete Floyd Howell for his exceptional support.
In the 4x800m, KC were sixth in 7:44.95 and Calabar 10th in 7:51.44 and Edwin Allen 11th in 7:52.22.
GIRLS IN ACTION TODAY
Yesterday saw preliminary round action in the girls’ 4x100m and 4x400m Championship of America relays, with defending champions Hydel High leading the way in the 4x100m. Hydel clocked 44.55 seconds to win their heat and emerge as the fastest qualifiers, ahead of Edwin Allen, who won their heat in 44.63.
Three other Jamaican teams – Wolmer’s Girls (45.50), Holmwood Technical (46.00), and St Mary High (46.28) – are through to the final, which will get under way at 2:55 p.m. today.
In the 4x800m, three Jamaican teams – Alphansus Davis (second in their heat in 8:54.73), Holmwood (9:01.58), and Edwin Allen (9:04.26) – are through to today’s finals, set to begin at 3:45 p.m.
Also today, starting at 7:45 a.m., the preliminary round of the 4x400m relays will take place. The final is scheduled for 5 p.m.
English (US) ·