Exciting clashes expected in girls’ finals at Penns

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania

The girls will be in the spotlight in the Franklin Field stadium on today’s final day of competition at the 127th staging of the Penn Relays.

They will be competing for a first time on a Saturday at the relay carnival and the expected large crowd should witness a day of exciting and epic battles with Hydel High and Edwin Allen High leading the way for the Jamaican teams.

Hydel, who are the defending 4x400 metres champions, will be searching for their first success in the 4x100m as they aim to stop Edwin Allen’s unbeaten run in the event at the meet since 2014.

Yesterday, competing in cold and rainy conditions, the quartet of Alana Reid, Oneika McAnnuff, Shemonique Hazle and Aaliyah Baker were very impressive as they sent a strong message to their rivals after stopping the clock at 44.96 seconds for the fastest time on the day going into today’s final which is set for 12:05 p.m.

SECOND-FASTEST QUALIFIERS

Bullis School of Maryland are the second-fastest qualifiers after winning their heat in 46.05 with defending champions Edwin Allen third fastest after taking their heat win in 46.64. Despite their moderate time and playing second fiddle all season in the event to Hydel, coach Michael Dyke of Edwin Allen is super confident that they will upstage their archrivals and maintain their dominance in the event.

“I am extremely confident that we can retain our title as our athletes were very slow running out and I have a major change to make and also changes to position of the athletes,” said Dyke.

Serena Cole is back to full fitness after a recent hamstring injury and could return to her usual opening leg while the vastly improved Kacian Powell who was rested yesterday looks set to run in the final. St Jago High (46.80) and Wolmer’s Girls (47.35) are the other Jamaican teams in the final.

Seven Jamaican teams – St Catherine High, Holy Childhood High, Mt Alvernia High, St Mary High, Manchester High, Excelsior High and Holmwood Technical will contest the 4x100m International final.

Edwin Allen will also be hoping to retain their 4x800m relay title today when they contest the final at 3:45 p.m. They are the only Jamaican team in the final after winning their heat yesterday in nine minutes 17.28 seconds to be the second-fastest qualifiers. Pre-race favourites Union Catholic of New Jersey are the fastest qualifiers after winning their Heat in 9:11.26. Eleven-time champions Holmwood and Alphansus Davis failed to advance.

Alphansus Davis finished sixth in their heat and 18th overall in 9:29.62 while Holmwood were seventh in their heat and 20th overall in 9:31.37. The final will be contested at 3:57 p.m.

The girls will be very busy today as the preliminary round of the 4x400m will start at 7:45 a.m. with the final down to take place at 3 p.m. Twelve Jamaican teams, led by defending champions Hydel, will compete in this event.