PHILADELPHIA, USA — Jamaican contenders Edwin Allen High and Hydel High are on course for two mega clashes in the high school girls relays on today’s second day of the 126th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

Edwin Allen High and Holmwood Technical, who are both defending titles this weekend, qualified for three relay finals each today — the 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m — on Thursday’s bitterly cold opening day as the event resumed after a two years COVID-19 induced break.

It is, however, the clashes between six-time defending champions Edwin Allen High and Hydel High in the 4x100m and the 4x400m — to be run 45 minutes apart — that most of the fans will be looking forward to and with hopes that the weather will cooperate.

Edwin Allen have won the last six high school girls 4x100m relay title at the Penn Relays and eight overall, and with three members of the world record-breaking Jamaican 4x100m team set to line up, will be hard to bet against.

Without lead-off runner Serena Cole, who was contesting the long jump on Thursday, Edwin Allen ran 44.64 seconds, the ninth fastest time in the event’s history, to lead all qualifiers.

Hydel High, who arrived in the American city on Wednesday evening, also advanced with 46.37 seconds and it is expected that Class Two runners Alana Reid and Kerrica Hill will join Brianna Lyston and Onieka Wilson.

Holmwood (47.12 seconds), Immaculate Conception (47.15 seconds), St Catherine High (47.56 second)s and St Jago (47.37 seconds) are also in the Championships of America (COA) finals, while two other teams will run in the International final after just failing to advance to the COA race. Petersfield had won their heat in 48.46 seconds and Vere Technical 49.22 seconds.

The IMG Academy from Bradenton, Florida, ran 47.03 seconds and Paul Robeson High from New York clocked 47.83 seconds in their preliminary runs.

Hydel have won the 4x400m twice and they will be seeking a third on Saturday to add to the ones they won in 2017 and 2018. Their easy-looking 3:39.34 seconds run on Thursday has many backing them.

Defending champions Holmwood Technical ran 3:41.95 minutes to win their heat as well, while Edwin Allen clocked (3:45.29) to hold off St Jago High who also qualified with 3:49.50, while Excelsior High’s 3:51.15 also saw them get into the decider.

Bullis School of Potomac, Maryland, were impressive in their heat running 3:43.59, while Paul Robeson also made it to the final with 3:44.46.

Edwin Allen High and Holmwood Technical have combined to win four of the last five high school girls 4x800m relays here and after easily qualifying in bitterly cold conditions on Thursday morning, they should star once more in another competitive final.

Edwin Allen were second in their heat, running 9:13.89 with that team comprising Rushana Dwyer, Jessica McLean, Rickesha Simms and Leanna Lewis, beaten by Union Catholic of New Jersey who ran 9:13.08 seconds.

Holmwood Technical, who ran a team with Cindy Rose, Jody-Ann Mitchell, Samantha Pryce and Ysanne Peart, won their heat with 9:23.48, well ahead of William Penn Charter (9:26.88).

Cuthbertson of North Carolina ran an impressive 9:19.75 and Cherokee High of New Jersey clocked 9:21.19 in their races to make them contenders.

— Paul Reid