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Excelsior honours Penn Relays pioneers

Published:Wednesday | December 13, 2023 | 12:14 AMHubert Lawrence/Gleaner Writer
From left: Maurice Myton, a member of the 1965 Excelsior High School Penn Relays team, exchanges memories with fellow Excelsior track veterans, Hewitt Depass, Desmond Shakespeare, Danny Clarke, Dennis Smellie and Cyril Gray at the PA BENJAMIN Wesley Powell
Hubert Lawrence photo
From left: Maurice Myton, a member of the 1965 Excelsior High School Penn Relays team, exchanges memories with fellow Excelsior track veterans, Hewitt Depass, Desmond Shakespeare, Danny Clarke, Dennis Smellie and Cyril Gray at the PA BENJAMIN Wesley Powell Track Meet at Excelsior High School on December 9.

ALMOST 60 YEARS ago, in 1965, Excelsior High School sent a team to the renowned Penn Relays for the first time and came home with a victory by Neville Myton in the high school mile. On Saturday at the 20th PA Benjamin Wesley Powell Excelsior Track Meet, the 1965 pioneers were honoured and their Penn Relays adventure remembered.

Myton’s brother, Maurice, recalled, “As a youth growing up and taking my first airline flight, we got to Philadelphia, and it was very cold and coach Donovan Davis from KC (Kingston College) was our guiding light and he took us under his arm. Clearly, he was giving Neville some instruction and he said, ‘Neville, stay close, and the race will fall in your lap’.”

Davis, the Kingston College sportsmaster, was right. Neville won in four minutes, 17.7 seconds. It is an achievement yet to be matched by any other Jamaican at Penns.

“That put a lot of pressure on us going into the mile relays,” Maurice confessed at the Wesley Powell meet on December 9.

“We finished third to KC and I think it was a boys’ high school out of Brooklyn, New York, but it was just a great experience to represent Excelsior High School and Jamaica,” he summed.

Maurice later took a scholarship to the University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff where his speed in the 400 metres later earned him induction into the institution’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

Maurice was all smiles throughout the meet and was clearly delighted to be rubbing shoulders with his 1965 teammates.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said.

“I cannot believe I’m walking on holy ground. Excelsior did so much for us as athletes to continue growing and producing quality athletes for Jamaica.”

Also appreciative of the event was PA Benjamin chairman Errol Powell.

“I was extremely impressed when I came and saw this. I had no idea that a school meet would have been this well organised, so yes, I think the organisers did a great job,” said Powell.

“It’s just a great atmosphere,” he observed.

“I think the youngsters would enjoy this and hopefully it motivates them to higher levels of performance,” said Powell.

Powell underscored PA Benjamin’s commitment to the meet.

The 144-year-old company has supported the event in recent times and responded positively to a request to increase its involvement.

“This year, we were approached to take on title sponsorship, we jumped at the opportunity and we’re title sponsors for five years, minimum,” he said.