Good day for Jamaicans at Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:

Edwin Allen were the toast of yesterday's opening day of the 124th staging of the Penn Relays at Franklin Field.

There was double success for Edwin Allen in jumping events through Lotavia Brown and Jonique Burgher.

Brown created an upset in the triple jump, winning in a wind-aided 13.16 metres (+2.2), to get the better of her more senior teammate, Ackelia Smith,13.10m (PB), who posted the second best legal jump in the history of the meet. Defending champion, Keneva Headley (Holmwood), was third with 12.69m.

Burgher made it back-to-back wins in the high jump, after taking the event with a winning mark of 1.82m. Vere's Lamara Distin was second, after clearing 1.75, as Excelsior's Shauntae Foreman was third with 1.71m.

There was also a second place finish for Edwin Allen's Fiona Richards, 52.35m, in the discus, as Vere's Marie Forbes finished third with 49.27m.

College Women's Long Jump

Tissana Hickling won the college women's long jump Championships for G.C. Foster, with a wind-aided 6.46m, with the University of Technology's Jessica Noble taking third with 6.26m.

Shannon Kalawan, representing St Augustine University, captured the college women's 400 metre hurdles in 57.30 seconds, with the University of West Indies' Candice McLeod running second in 57.78.

Meanwhile, defending champions Edwin Allen, Hydel and Holmwood stayed on course to defend their respective titles, after easy qualifications yesterday.

After their record run last year, Edwin Allen look a cinch for the 4x100m Championship of America title, slated for 1:27 p.m. (Jamaican time) today, after their commanding 45.41 seconds win, which makes them the fastest qualifiers to the final, which will feature Kevona Davis.

They will be joined by five other Jamaican teams, as Holmwood 45.90, Hydel 46.10, St. Jago 46.20, Petersfield 46.43, and St Catherine High 46.62 seconds, have all advanced.

Defending champions Holmwood and Spalding, are through to today's 4x800m final, slated for 12:05 p.m.

4x400m champions Hydel sent out a strong message ahead of today's final, scheduled for 4:05 p.m., with a 52.25 seconds, second-leg split from Shiann Salmon, powering them to 3:36.53, making them the fastest qualifiers. Holmwood, 3:39.82 are the second-fastest qualifiers with the likes of Edwin Allen 3:43.08, St Elizabeth Technical 3:44.82, and Petersfield High 3:46.56 also advancing.