Edwin Allen girls promise to set chilly Philly ablaze
PHILADELPHIA, USA — Michael Dyke, coach of the Edwin Allen High girls track and field team, was in high spirits yesterday leading into today’s start of the 120th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field, Philadelphia where he hopes to win all three Championships of Americas relays in which they are entered.
After setting a high school girls World Record in the 4x100m two weeks ago at the UTech Classic at the National Stadium and having the fastest times in the 4x400m and 4x800m relays, Dyke thinks it’s their year to win the trifecta.
Seventeen Jamaican girls’ high schools are down to take part in the three-day spectacle that gets underway this morning with the 400m hurdles, as well as the qualifying rounds of the three relays, plus a handful of field events.
The discus throw, shot put, javelin as well as the high jump, long jump and triple jump will all be contested on today’s opening day.
Meanwhile, a number of teams were still arriving yesterday, and up to the time of writing, it was said many were still enroute to what is expected to be a chilly Philadelphia this weekend.
Edwin Allen will be trying to make up for what was a bitterly disappointing Penns last year when, after seemingly poised to win at least two of the three relays, they went home with three second-place finishes, beaten by Holmwood Technical in the 4x100m, Vere Technical in the 4x400m and lost the 4x800m to New Jersey’s Columbia High.
That was not on Dyke’s mind yesterday as he spoke to the Jamaica Observer just before a light workout session. “If all things go the way we hope, we should not only win, but take the Penn Relays record as well,” he stated.
The team of Christania Williams, Claudette Allen, Saqukine Cameron and Monique Spencer clocked 43.95 seconds at UTech in the 4x100m and will be favourites here once again.
Dyke, however, warned that the weather, which is expected to be cooler than normal, could affect performances but added they were confident of doing well.
Wolmer’s Girls, with new CARIFTA Games Under-20 100m champion Jonielle Smith, Vere Technical and Hydel High could also be factors in the 4x100m as well.
