Top schools leave for Penn Relays

By Anthony Foster, STAR Writer

Several of the island's top track and field teams will depart today for the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

St Jago High's boys and the girls from Edwin Allen High are down to leave today for Pennsylvania via New York.

At last year's event, St Jago's quartet of national junior 100m record holder Yohan Blake, Riker Hylton, Andre Walsh and Nickel Ashmeade ran a a superb 39.96 seconds to win the 4x100m.

This year, coach Danny Hawthorne has an additional weapon in Akeem Smith, who along with Blake, Ashmeade and Hylton stormed to an impressive 39.78 seconds at Boys' Champs, the team's fastest ever time.

Come Saturday, coach Hawthorne said he is hoping for the best.

"As usual we will be going to do our best and hopefully our best will take us to victory again."

Coach Michael Dyke of Edwin Allen, last year's Championship of America girls' 4x100m winners in 44.87, is predicting another victory.

"I don't think we should have any difficulty defending our title," he said.

Kimberly Smith is the only athlete who will be missing from last year's team. Based on Dyke's comments, Kaysia Jones, Gayon Evans and Shawna Anderson, all from last year's team, along with Naffene Briscoe should be able to repeat.

Holmwood's girls, who failed to defend their three Championship of Americas titles - 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m last year - are weaker this time around, but the coaching staff is still hopeful.

"The team last year was stronger ... but personally I think we have very good chances in the 4x400m and 4x800m," explained Maurice Wilson, the team's head coach.

Wilson is also the coach of GC Foster College, which won the small college 4x100m title last year. He, however, believes they are short of a quality sprinter.

"We are short of one quality sprinter ..., but we should still do well, especially in the 4x200m." GC Foster will have in their squad Sonita Sutherland, Schillonie Calvert, Anastasia LeRoy, Vannessa Boyd, Rose-Marie White, Sudian Davis and Tenesha Blair.

Many-time winners Vere Technical are also scheduled to depart early today.

Kingston College, who won the 4x800m title last year, along with Jamaica College, and Bellefield High will depart tomorrow.