PHILADELPHIA, USA — A historic win in the high school boys 3,000m by CARIFTA Games gold medallist Kemoy Campbell of Bellefield High highlighted the Jamaican boys’ performance at the 116th Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia yesterday.

Running from the front the entire way, Campbell, who came into the meet ranked number three, ran a personal best 8:20.14 minutes, the fourth fastest time ever at the meet as he became the first Jamaican to win the event.

Campbell, who was urged on by a large crowd that was left over from the reported 38,904 spectators, which included Sports Minister Olivia Grange, said he was pleased with the win, but had problems with the cool conditions when he ran.

He went through the first 800m in just over 2 minutes 17 seconds and was clocked at a shade over 4 minutes 32.00 seconds after 1,600m before stepping up his pace to destroy a strong field.

Dean Tomlin, who coaches Campbell, told the Observer: “The plan was to win, nothing else and the time does not matter really.”

Campbell’s win came a year after former Jamaica College athlete K’Don Samuels became the first Jamaican to win the pole vault.

Also yesterday, Wolmer’s Boys’ electrified the sun-drenched Franklin field with a 40.47-second run in the qualifying heats of the 4x100m and will lead four Jamaican schools into today’s Championship of America final.

Additionally, on today’s final day the boys will run the 400m hurdles, the heats and finals of the 4x400m relays, as well as the long, triple and high jumps and the discus throw.

Led by defending champions and record holders Calabar High, Wolmer’s Boys’, who had the fastest time in qualifying yesterday (40.47 seconds), Camperdown and St George’s College, Jamaican boys will start favourites to win a sixth straight title.

Wolmer’s Boys’ looked awesome in their qualifying heat, taking the lead early on with smooth baton changes with the team of CARIFTA Games double gold medallist Odean Skeen, Dwayne Extol, Julian Forte and A-Shawni Mitchell.

David Riley, the Wolmer’s coach, told the Observer he “would most likely maintain the same four” for today’s final, adding this was the first time they had run together in that order.

Calabar were the next best with 41.22 seconds, while St George’s were fourth with 41.71 seconds.

Five other Jamaican teams will contest the consolation ‘Small schools’ final — St Elizabeth Technical, Manchester High, who have the meet record, Herbert Morrison Technical, Old Harbour High and Bellefield High, while St Jago are an alternate.

Munro College’s Boys Champs gold medal winner Jodi-Rae Blackwood and his schoolmate Patrick Campbell will run the 400m hurdles, along with Marlon Dixon of Calabar, Geoffrey Brady of Wolmer’s and Franklyn Mitchell of Manchester high.

Calabar’s ultra-hot duo of National Junior Record holder Chad Wright and World Youth Championships bronze medal winner Traves Smikle will clash once more in the discus where seven Jamaicans will take part.

Smikle is ranked number one here ahead of Wright, while others taking part are the Kingston College trio of Canniga Raynor, Oshane Harris and Raschane Cunningham; Jamaica College’s Michael Cameron and Munro’s Rajae Gayle.

Jonathon Reid of Kingston College, the Boys Champs Class One champion, is the top ranked in the high jump and will have Davis Hall of St Jago, defending champion Kimarki Absalom of St George’s College, Machel Baker of St Jago, Jason Lewis of Wolmer’s Boys’ and Wendrico Seymore of Munro College.

Seven Jamaicans are down for the long jump led by Kamal Fuller of Wolmer’s Boys’, Jerome Wilson of Kingston College and Calabar’s Marlon Thompson.

The triple jump will see Wolmer’s Ramone Bailey leading the way with another three Jamaicans taking part, including Campion College’s Damon McLean and Christopher Waugh also of Wolmer’s.

Kingston College are the only Jamaican team in the 4x800m Championships finals after getting in as the 12th and last qualifier, placing fifth in the third of four heats in 7 minutes 54.43 seconds, thanks mainly to a brilliant anchor leg from Donahue Williams (1 minute 55.4 seconds).