PHILADELPHIA, USA — Jamaica College (JC) are poised for a big final day of the 130th Penn Relays at Franklin Field after emerging as the only Jamaican school to qualify for both the high school boys’ 4x100m and 4x800m Championship of America finals.

JC are also expected to contend for a third final spot in the 4x400m relay, with preliminaries set for this morning and the final later in the day.

The Dark Blues have already started collecting wins after Michael-Andre Edwards set a new Penn Relays record 16.29m (0.8m/s) to retain the triple jump title, while Joseph Salmon won the discus throw after finishing second last year.

Edwin Allen High’s Addison James also retained his javelin title on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, the JC quartet of Malique Dennis, Nathaniel Martin, Elijah Smeikle and Kai Kelly clocked a fast 40.11 seconds to lead qualifiers into the 4x100m Championships of America final. St James Academy of Virginia were next best in 40.24 seconds.

Kingston College (KC) also advanced with 40.26 seconds, followed by Edwin Allen 40.37, Excelsior High 40.54, St Jago High 40.73, Petersfield High 41.19, St Mary High 41.21 and Wolmer’s Boys’ 41.24.

Wolmer’s Boys’ edged William Knibb Memorial, who also clocked 41.24 seconds, into the International final, where six Jamaican teams will compete. St George’s College (41.56), Calabar High (41.58), Munro College (41.86), Cornwall College (41.91) and Herbert Morrison (42.21) also qualified.

Three-time winners JC will be the lone Jamaican team in the high school boys’ 4x800m Championships of America final after posting 7:43.56 to top Friday’s qualifiers.

The team of Rasheed Pryce, Carlos Brison Caines, Sekani Brown and Shemar Green won their heat and will be seeking a second title in three years, having won in 2024.

KC finished 14th overall in 7:51.88, Alphansus Davis High placed 22nd in 7:55.07, and St Elizabeth Technical High were 24th in 7:55.43. Edwin Allen (7:59.32), Calabar (8:01.42) and Bellefield High (8:26.67) also competed.

Edwards erased O’Brien Wasom’s long-standing record of 16.01m set in 2016, first jumping 16.26m (-0.1m/s) in the third round before improving to 16.29m in the next round.

Edwards, who said he had the record in mind coming into the championships, produced a superb series with multiple jumps beyond 16.12m. He extended Jamaica’s dominance in the event to five consecutive years.

Joseph Salmon of Jamaica College participates in the High School Boys’ Discus Championship at the Penn Relays at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, on Friday. Collin Reid courtesy of KFC and Team Jamaica Bickle

He beat American indoor record holder Mile Nesmeth of Memphis Central, Tennessee, who also surpassed the old mark with 16.18m (0.4m/s).

KC’s Rekelme Hunter was third with 15.41m (1.1m/s), Wolmer’s Boys’ Kabiki Thomas placed fifth with 14.77m (0.2m/s), Calabar’s Antonio Anderson jumped 14.75m (1.4m/s), and Wolmer’s Roshane Francis recorded 14.74m (1.0m/s).

Salmon improved on last year’s runner-up finish to win the discus with 63.55m, the ninth-best mark in Penn Relays history.

Salmon, who completed the ISSA Boys’ Championships and Carifta Games Under-20 double, had three legal throws. Calabar’s Kamari Kennedy was second with 61.19m, followed by Munro’s Rajeem Streete (60.25m) and KC’s Daijon Budhai (57.63m). Calabar’s DeAndre Henry was seventh with 52.68m.

James, the Dominican Under-20 record holder, threw 72.44m — the third-best mark ever at the meet — to retain his title, improving on last year’s winning throw of 65.98m.

KC’s Nkosana Johnson was third in the shot put with 19.15m.

St Elizabeth Technical’s Santino Distin cleared a season’s best 2.06m for third in the high jump, behind Ryan Buskey of Colonie Central, New York (2.14m) and Darius Reid of Upper Perkiomen, Pennsylvania (2.09m).

JC’s Jaivar Cato placed fourth in the long jump with 7.11m (-0.1m/s), while KC’s Omarion Miller jumped 7.06m (0.4m/s) and Calabar’s Talshawn Edwards recorded 7.04m (1.6m/s).