PHILADELPHIA, United States — St Jago High’s Jade-Ann Dawkins retained her high school girls’ triple jump title at the 128th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia after jumping 13.01m in the final on Thursday’s opening day while Wolmer’s Girls’ Shanique Williams won the high jump title.

Wolmer’s Girls pair of Shanique Williams (left) and Danielle Noble show off their awards after placing first and second respectively in the high school girls high jump event on Thursday’s opening day of the 128th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Both jumpers cleared 1,73m. (Photo: Paul Reid)

Dawkins who was a centimetre behind her winning mark of 13.02m set last year, became the third Jamaican to retain her title, joining Kimberly Williams of Vere Technical who won three straight titles between 2005 and 2007 and Rochelle Farquharson of St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) who won 2009 and 2010.

Jamaicans swept the top four spots in the final as 15-year-old Jaeda Robinson of Immaculate Conception was second with 12.70m (0.7m/s), Celine Riddle of Holmwood was third with 12.69m (-0.4m/s) and Richelle Stanley of STETHS- 12.55 (0.5m/s).

Williams beat her teammate Danielle Noble on count-back after both cleared 1.73m, and was the first Jamaican to win the event since Janique Burgher won the second of two titles in 2018.

Three Jamaicans failed to get past the first height- Janis Adams and Jhameka Brown of Manchester High and Rasheda Samuels of Edwin Allen High.

ISSA Champs Class 1 winner, Rohanna Sudlow of St Catherine High was third in the long jump with a best of 5.83m (0.1m/s), Chloe Palmer of STETHS was fourth with 5.75m (-0.7m/s) and Jenelle Canns of St Jago was eighth with 5.55m (-0.7m/s).

Avery Lewis of Friends Central, Pennsylvania won a third straight title with 6.01m (0.5m/s).

Najhada Seymoure of Excelsior High was second in the discus throw with 48.08m, Able Mills of St Catherine third with 48.01m, Athilia Pryce of Clarendon College fourth with 45.21m and Saje Cruikshank of Alpha Academy sixth with 41.86m.

Marla-Kay Lampart threw 13.64m for second in the shot put final, behind winner Jessia Oji of Livingston High, New Jersey- 14.12m with St Jago High’s Kimeka Smith third with 13.46m.

— Paul A Reid