WOLMERS DOMINATE AT PENNS
PHILADELPHIA, USA — Wolmer’s Boys’ recorded two relay victories as Jamaican boys dominated yesterday’s final day of the 116th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field, University of Pennsylvania.
Two records were also set by Jamaicans, with Wolmer’s breaking the one-year-old 4x100m mark with a smart 39.78 seconds as well as winning their second 4x400m title, while national junior record-holder Chad Wright smashed the meet record on his way to winning Jamaica’s first title in the boys’ discus throw with 58.50m.
There was also a win in the long jump as Wolmer’s’ Kamal Fuller won his school’s first title.
Yesterday also saw a Saturday record attendance of 54,310, surpassing the 50,827 set in 2002 for a new three-day record of 117, 346 — better than the 114, 194 set four years ago.
The vast majority of the crowd appeared to be Jamaicans who no doubt turned out to see Usain Bolt and the Jamaican seniors in the USA vs the World relays.
After running the fastest time in the qualifying heats on Friday, the Wolmer’s team surprised even coach David Riley in the sprint relays, the fastest ever by a Jamaican high school anywhere, dipping under the 39.91 seconds set last year by the Ramone McKenzieled Calabar.
This was the second win in the event by the Heroes Circlebased school following 2000, and Riley said he did not know what to expect.
“That was a lot of running and considering all the great teams that have run here and none have run faster, this is a big surprise,” he said.
It was also a birthday present for Dwayne Extoll, who ran the second leg, as he celebrated his 19th birthday.
Odean Skeen started while Extoll handed off to Julian Forte, with A-Shawni Mitchell anchoring.
Jamaican teams occupied the first four places with Camperdown taking second in 40.61, a step ahead of St George’s, 40.97, and Calabar, 41.01.
St Elizabeth Technical won the consolation ‘Small schools’ final in 41.24 second with the team of Ronell Dear, Jamie Dennis, McKoy Simms and Chadic Hines, while Herbert Morrison were third, Manchester fourth, Old Harbour sixth and Bellefield seventh.
Wolmer’s closed the high schools section by winning a close 4x400m, holding off Gibson and Champs winners Vere and California’s Junipero Serra.
The team of Mitchell, Extol, Javon Spencer (49.70) and Forte (47.17), ran 3:14.59 to beat the Americans, who ran 3:14.72, and Vere, 3:14.97, while Munro, who ran the fastest time in the qualifying, was sixth after Dexter McKenzie,who ran a brilliant anchor leg in the first round, was not able to take part.
