Boys bow into action today hoping to continue dominance at Penn Relays
PHILADELPHIA, USA — The expected domination of the boys’ high school relays by Jamaican schools at the 122nd Penn Relays is set to get under way this morning, the second full day of competition at Franklin Field, in Philadelphia.
Calabar High will defend both the 4x100m and 4x400m titles, while St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will defend the 4x800m, but should get good competition from the likes of Kingston College and Jamaica College.
Off the track, Calabar High’s Warren Barrett Jr, the World Junior leader in the shot put, will have his final attempt at a high school title here.
The preliminaries of both the 4x100m and 4x800m will be run today, with the top eight in the shorter distance and top 12 in the two-mile relay qualifying for tomorrow afternoon’s finals.
Calabar High have wowed in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays this season; and with the luxury of talent available to coach Michael Clarke, the crowd will be in for a treat.
The teams are vying for three finals, the fastest eight overall going to the Championships of Americas final and the next 16 teams spilt between the large schools and small schools preliminary finals.
Calabar High, Jamaica College and Kingston College, the last three winners of the 4x100m, will lead the 13 Jamaican schools down to take part.
Ardenne High, Cornwall College, Excelsior High, Green Island, Manchester High, Herbert Morrison, Munro College, STETHS, St George’s College and St Jago High will also line up.
STETHS start their defence of the 4x800m title, while Holmwood Technical, Manchester High, St Jago, Spalding, Edwin Allen, Munro College, Jamaica College and Kingston College will also contest the event.
Barrett, who threw a personal best 19.97m to win the Under-20 Boys event at the Carifta Games in March, is ranked fourth here, the same position he finished, last year.
Also in the event are his teammate and Boys’ Champs Class One winner Kyle Mitchell, Carifta Games silver medallist Sanjae Lawrence of Petersfied and Vashon McCarthy of Jamaica College.
Munro College’s Kino Dunkley was third in the discus last year and will be eager to improve on his finish from that time.
Another Munro College thrower, Vikarie Elliott; the Petersfield pair of Daniel Cope and Kevin Nedrick; Andre Garvey of Excelsior and Karl-Leon Grant of Jamaica College are also in the hunt.
Adrian Mitchell of Calabar and Lashane Kettle of Kingston College will take part in the javelin throw.