Thrilling the crowd at the National Stadium, student athletes delivered blazing performances and record-breaking times during the final day of the All-Island Inter-Secondary Schoolgirls Championships. Excelsior led the charge with smooth baton changes and lightning-fast relays, clocking 49.5 seconds in the Class I relay — one of several records shattered throughout the day. With seven new records set overall, this year’s Champs proved to be a showcase of speed, strength, and school spirit.

Published Saturday, March 18, 1972

XLCR 3-time Champs

EXCELSIOR SCHOOL, poised as they were for finals on Thursday when trailing well behind St Hilda’s and Manning’s, turned in a magnificent performance yesterday to win the All-Island Inter-Secondary Schoolgirls Championships three years straight at the National Stadium.
Cheered by a crowd of approximately 10,000, the Antrim girls, with a final 128 points, led their nearest rivals Manning’s by a majority of 66 1/2 points to become the first school in the history of the championships to take the title for three consecutive years.
The winners took last year’s title by a margin of 17 points when they finished with 112, with Titchfield 95.
However, it did not take them very long to move ahead yesterday morning after netting only 6 points and St Hilda’s sharing the lead, each with 18 points. But the entire final day saw them thrilling the packed grandstands with some excellent running which brought them 122 points more.
Seven new records were registered yesterday; four of which went to the champions. Two of the three others equalled were also done by XLCR.
A chanting, handclapping stand shouting “Oh What an Age! Oh What an Age!” of their school supporters cheered their team on to two records in the relay events. A time of 49.5 secs was recorded for the Class I event, and this was a product of velvet-smooth baton changing, which was a feature in both relays they won.
Other records which fell during the day were the Class I relay; the time done by XLCR was 49.7. The Class III had St Hilda’s winning in 52 secs, and Queen’s getting home in 53.3 secs.
In the field events, Andrea Bruce achieved a double when she leaped 17’ 8” in the Class II long jump. She had set a new record of 5’ 6 ½” in the final of the high jump the day before.
Placing of the first 15 schools were: Excelsior 128, Manning’s 61 1/2, St Hilda’s 55, Vere 46, Merl Grove 43, St. Mary High School 42, Dinthill 32, Queen’s 29, St Andrew Technical 24, Morant Bay 17, Ardenne 16 ½, Montego Bay 11, York Castle 9.
The Governor-General Sir Clifford Campbell presented some of the trophies and medals to winners.

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