Edwin Allen had to settle for second position in the Championships of America high school girls’ 4x800m, as they were soundly beaten by New Jersey-based favourites Union Catholic in the final on day two of the 128th Penn Relays at the Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Friday.
Not only did Union Catholic defend their title, but the team of Jimmiea King, Peyton Hollis, Sophia Thompson, and Paige Sheppard did so in emphatic fashion, clocking a National Record of 8:41.20. They lowered the previous mark of 8:43.12 set in 2008 by Roosevelt.
Edwin Allen’s quartet of Tanesia Gardiner, Monique Stewart, Kevongaye Fowler, and Rickeisha Simms, gave a credible effort in second at 8:50.76, while Virginia-based South Lakes (8:50.8), were third.
The other Jamaican schools, Holmwood Technical (8:58.94) and Alphansus Davis (9:13.83), placed fifth and ninth respectively.
Jamaica College’s Kemario Bygrave and Samuel Creary swept the boys' Class one and two 800m titles on the fifth and final day of the 113th ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Bygrave successfully defended his Class one crown, as he won comfortably in 1:51.75. Kingston College’s Jaquan Coke (1:52.59) and Maggotty High’s Yoshane Bowen (1:53.02), were second and third, respectively.
In Class 2, Creary added the 800m gold to his 1,500m win. He clocked 1:54.10 ahead of Kingston College’s Nahashon Ruto (1:55.65) and St Mary High’s Rasheed Grant (1:57.38).
Meanwhile, Cavel Nooks of JC equalled his personal best of 1:58.25 to claim the Class three crown. His teammate Cameron Williams (2:02.53) was second, while Sydney Pagon’s Luke Plummer (2:02.86), copped bronze.
On the girls' side, Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms powered through to claim gold in 2:08.56. Hydel’s Abigail Campbell (2:09.07) was second and the other Edwin Allen representative Monique Stewart (2:10.19) finished third.
Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose (2:15.37) upgraded her bronze from last year to win gold in the Class two final. Silver went to St Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:16.66), while Edwin Allen’s Horecia Love (2:17.10) took bronze.
In the Class 3 girls’ event, it was Alphansus Davis’ Alikay Reynolds, who won the 1500m on Wednesday that topped the field in 2:17.79. Edwin Allen’s Kevongaye Fowler, the overwhelming favourite, had to settle for silver in 2:13.19, with St Mary High’s Dallia Fairweather (2:13.20) in third.
A few athletes will be aiming to complete the middle distance double in their respective classes after they easily navigated the 800m semi-finals on day four of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.
Among them are Jamaica College’s Samuel Creary, Alikay Reynolds of Alphansus Davis and Abigail Campbell of Hydel High.
Campbell, who won the girls’ Class one 400m title, clocked an easy 2:18.60 to book her spot in the 800m final, along with the Edwin Allen pair of Monique Stewart (2:17.70) and Rickeisha Simms (2:16.18). Carlene Temple (2:16.26) and Allecia Johnson (2:19.07) of Alphansus Davis; Holmwood Technical’s Cindy Rose (2:16.64); Kitania Headley (2:17.05) of St Catherine and St Andrew’s Rihanna Gayle (2:19.31), also progressed.
The boys’ Class one finalists include Maggotty’s Yoshane Bowen (1:57.88); Jaquan Coke (1:59.82) of Kingston College; Kemario Bygrave (2:00.41) of Jamaica College; Port Antonio’s Ainsley Brown (1:57.91) and Joaqueem Miller (1:59.86) of St Elizabeth Technical.
Holmwood Technical’s Jovi Rose headlines the girls’ Class two qualifiers with a time of 2:16.33, and she will be joined by Horecia Love (2:18.12) of Edwin Allen High; Shavanecia Griffiths (2:18.22) and Chennai Jarrett (2:17.29) of St Elizabeth Technical; St Mary’s College’s Latanya Dixon (2:18.33); St Jago’s Kededra Coombs (2:18.80); Andrene Peart (2:18.47) of Holmwood Technical and Sydney Pagon’s Denae Hodges (2:23.27).
Creary, who won the 1,500m title and Nahashon Ruto of Kingston College are expected to battle it out for the boys’ Class two title after both easily progressed to the medal event. Creary clocked 1:58.38 in semi-final two and Ruto stopped the clock in 2:00.32 in the other semi-final.
They will be joined by Delano Brown (2:00.85) of St Elizabeth Technical, Rushanne James (2:00.69) of Clarendon College, St Mary High’s (2:00.75), Jayden Brown (2:01.42) of Maggotty High, Shemar Green (2:00.92) of Jamaica College and Albert Town’s Clevaughn Genius (2:01.41).
Alphansus Davis’ Reynolds, the girls’ 1,500m Class three champion, easily booked her spot in the 800m showpiece with a time of 2:16.51. The Edwin Allen pair of Denique Palmer (2:18.29) and Kevongaye Fowler (2:19.91); Shameika Dennis (2:21.24) of St Elizabeth Technical; Tabbrel Williams (2:20.67) of Alphansus Davis; St Mary High’s Dallia Fairweather (2:18.81); Hydel’s Sackeela Whilby (2:21.59) and Manchester High’s Vennesha Pommels (2:22.44), will seek to upstage Reynolds in the finals.
Meanwhile, Jamaica College’s Cavel Nooks, the boys’ Class three 1,500m champion, will start as a favourite in the final 800 metres, as he won his semi-final in 2:02.65.
Also securing a lane in the final are Camron Williams (2:05.97), also of Jamaica College Titchfield High’s Ratieo Walters (2:07.08); Sydney Pagon’s Luke Plummer (2:06.55); Calabar’s Obrian Clarke (2:09.79); Excelsior’s Keniel Daniels (2:10.06); St Elizabeth Technical’s Renento Alexander (2:07.57) and Nathaniel Thomas of Denbigh High (2:11.43).
The finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
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