MONTEGO BAY, St James — Calabar High boys and Vere Technical High girls who had upset wins in the 4x400m relays at the recent staging of the Penn Relays in Philadelphia were named outstanding Jamaican high schools at an award ceremony held by Team Jamaica Bickle on Saturday.

Team Jamaica Bickle has handed out awards to the outstanding relays team and individual athletes taking part at the meet for the past few years at the ‘Bickle’ tent.

The event has become popular with the Jamaican crowd and dozens turn up to meet and greet and take part in the festivities.

The event that was attended by Minister with responsibilty for sports, Natalie Neita-Headley, also saw Munro College present Team Bickle with a plaque to express their appreciation for their efforts to feed and accomodate the Jamaican schools over the years.

Additionally, Vincent HoSang of Caribbean Food Products recommitted his support by handing over a cheque worth US$10,000.

On Friday, the Vere Technical girls’ team without ace Shericka Williams upset the more fancied Edwin Allen High and Holmwood to win the Championships of Americas final, their second title in three years and 11th overall, in 3:36.72, the fifth fastest time ever.

The team of Olivia James who ran 52.9 seconds on her leg, Andrennette Knight (55.3), Derri-Ann Hill (55.6) and Yanique McNeil (52.9) finished ahead of defending champions Edwin Allen and Holmwood Technical.

Two-time defending champions Munro College were expected to make it three in a row with Manchester High the dark horses in the 4x400m, but a spectacular run from Calabar’s anchor leg runner Javon Francis, who clocked 44.8 seconds which is the fastest ever by a high school boy at Penn Relays, led them to a win by beating Munro on the line in the final high school event on Saturday evening.

Calabar’s 3:09.22 was the second fastest ever, while Munro who were two-hundredths of a second slower, was the third best ever.

Manchester High, who led at the final exchange, was third.

Meanwhile, Holmwood’s Gleneve Grange who set a new Penn Relays and National Junior Record 54.29m in the high school girls discus throw and Kingston College’s Omar McLeod who won the 400m hurdles were named the outstanding individual winners.

Grange, who was second last year to Edwin Allen’s Danniel Thomas, beat Edwin Allen’s pre-event favourite Tar-Sue Barnett.

Both records that were broken were 51.02m; the Penn Relays record was held by Edwin Allen’s Thomas and the Jamaican record by former St Jago athlete Kellion Knibb set at last year’s Senior National Champonships.