Chilly weather takes centre stage at Penn Relays
YESTERDAY started quite early for me. I jumped out of bed at 5:00 am to catch the Team Jamaica Bickle shuttle service at 6:00 am for the approximate 35-minute ride to the University of Pennsylvania. It was traffic-free at that time, but we were told that had we left 10 minutes later, the trip would have lasted anywhere between one to two hours instead.
Team Bickle provided breakfast consisting of hot chocolate, eggs, callaloo, dumplings and bread for the hundreds of athletes, coaches and officials at the Village.
Then it was down to serious business. And serious business it was for me as I battled the cold. Yesterday, I witnessed the brunt of the much-talked-about cold temperatures at Penn Relays, as I went out of my comfort zone — the Media Room — and headed to the media tribune inside the North Stand. It was said to be 48 degrees Fahrenheit and good weather compared to previous years.
But for me, it was like minus 48 degrees! My lips became cracked. My fingers were numb. I couldn’t feel my nose.
Thank God there were some moments to enjoy.
Rushell Clayton of the University of the West Indies brought some warmth by capturing the College Women’s 400m hurdles timed final in 57.81 seconds. But exposed areas of my anatomy continued to take a beating.
I tried munching on a few donuts, but with my lips all cracked up, it became a real challenge to open my mouth wide enough. Ultimately, eating wasn’t fun at all.
Off the track, music blared from speakers boxes at the entrance of the gate with students and athletes dancing to the rhythm and sampling all kinds of drinking products. In the background, GraceKennedy’s banners and signs were so prominent that one could have been led to believe it was ‘Champs’ inside the National Stadium in Kingston.
Then, suddenly, the Media Room erupted into a frenzy as news filtered through that Calabar High’s Michael O’Hara, after all, will be competing at Penn Relays for his school following a court ruling in Philadelphia.
For a moment, at least, the chilly feeling was replaced by the exciting prospect of Calabar having their captain in their relay set-up.
