PHILADELPHIA, United States — Eight Jamaican teams, led by Jamaica College, qualified for Saturday’s high school boys Championship of Americas final after a sizzling 40.11 seconds in Friday’s preliminaries of the 130th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, United States.

The team of Malique Dennis, Nathaniel Martin, Elijah Smeikle and Kai Kelly had the fastest time of the round, just ahead of St James Academy of Virginia, the only American team in the final, who ran 40.24 seconds.

Kingston College— 40.26 seconds, Edwin Allen— 40.37 seconds, Excelsior High— 40.54 seconds, St Jago High— 40.73 seconds, Petersfield High— 41.19 seconds, St Mary High— 41.21 seconds and Wolmer’s Boys— 41.24 seconds also advanced.

Wolmer’s just edged out another Jamaican team, William Knibb Memorial, who also ran 41.24 seconds and will lead the international final that will see another six Jamaican teams competing.

St George’s College— 41.56 seconds, Calabar High— 41.58 seconds, Munro College— 41.86 seconds, Cornwall College— 41.91 seconds and Herbert Morrison— 42.21 seconds also qualified.

— Paul A Reid