PHILADELPHIA, USA — Hydel High and Edwin Allen retained their respective 4x400m and 4x100m titles on Friday’s second day of the 130th Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field, both producing top-three all-time performances in their victories.

Jamaica’s schools won two of the three relay finals, while IMG Academy of Florida retained their 4x800m title in 8:40.92, the fourth-fastest time in Penn Relays history.

The high school girls’ 4x400m final lived up to expectations, with Hydel High clocking 3:32.85 — the third-fastest time ever at the Penn Relays — to secure their fifth straight title. Only Vere Technical, with nine consecutive wins between 1986 and 1994, have won more in the event.

Hydel High opted to contest only the 4x400m, skipping both the 4x100m and 4x800m, a strategy that paid off as they managed their limited resources across fewer events.

They led only in the final 60 metres on Friday, with anchor Nastassia Fletcher overtaking Edwin Allen High, who finished second in 3:33.24 — their fastest ever time at the Penn Relays and the fourth quickest overall. Bullis School of Maryland were third in 3:38.46.

Hydel coach Corey Bennett reshuffled his line-up from the preliminaries, sending out Sashashunta Hemmings, Sashanna Johnson, Aaliyah Mullings and Fletcher in the final.

“We knew we did not have the depth to run in too many events,” Bennett told the Jamaica Observer. “We also had issues with resources, and after a tough Champs and with some of the girls coming off Carifta, we had to be sensible.”

He added that the order change was deliberate. “We knew it was going to be very close, so we put the baton in safe hands on the anchor.”

Holmwood Technical finished fourth in 3:39.43, while Alphansus Davis High were eighth in 3:50.48.

Earlier, Edwin Allen High retained their High School Girls Championship of America 4x100m title in the third-fastest time ever, 44.13 seconds.

In a dominant display, Edwin Allen pulled away after an early challenge from Bullis School, with Alexxe Henry giving them the lead on the second leg. It was their 11th overall title in the event.

The victory also marked their ninth win in the last 11 stagings of the carnival, with Hydel High claiming the other two.

Only two Edwin Allen teams have run faster — the 2019 record-setting 43.62 seconds and the 2017 performance of 43.96 seconds.

St Jago High finished second in 45.08 seconds, followed by Pennsauken of New Jersey in 45.30. Excelsior High were fourth in 45.61, while first-time finalists Mt Alvernia High placed fifth in 45.94.

St Augustine’s of the Bahamas, the only non-Jamaican team in the field, won the international final in 45.90 seconds.

Convent of Mercy Academy were next in 46.42, followed by Holmwood Technical (46.74), St Mary High (46.77), William Knibb Memorial (47.11), Vere Technical (47.33), Penwood High (47.45), Meadowbrook High (48.07) and Manchester High (48.19).

Edwin Allen also placed third in the 4x800m in 8:56.07. Sydney Pagon High were fifth in 9:00.55, while Alphansus Davis High finished sixth in 9:03.40.