Fri | Dec 20, 2024

Immaculate confident of making Penns’ mark

Published:Wednesday | April 26, 2023 | 1:31 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Immaculate Conception High School’s team to the Penn Relays wait to board their flight to the United States where they will compete at the Penn Relays in Pennsylvania. Looking on are from left: Juliet Smith, Essence Burbridge, Onanda Lowe, Shevi-Anne Shi
Raymond Graham
Immaculate Conception High School’s team to the Penn Relays wait to board their flight to the United States where they will compete at the Penn Relays in Pennsylvania. Looking on are from left: Juliet Smith, Essence Burbridge, Onanda Lowe, Shevi-Anne Shim, Daina Creary, and Maja Henry.

AFTER AN encouraging performance at the recent ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships where they finished in the top 10, a very confident Immaculate team of six girls and two coaches left the island yesterday to participate in this weekend’s Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Immaculate quartet of Essence Burbridge, Onanda Lowe, Shevian Simms, and Daynea Creary will contest the Championships of America 4x100 metres relay, while Juliet Smith will contest the shot put, and Maja Henry will compete in the discus throw.

After a fifth-place finish in the Championships of America 4x100-metre relay last year, head coach Franz Forde is hoping to be in the big final once again.

“Our objective is to reach the Championships of America 4x100-metre final but if we do not, we are hoping to at least do so in the international final,” said Forde. The international final is a consolation event for teams that do not make it to the Chanpionships of America final. In 2019, Immaculate won the international final.

Forde also spoke about the expectations of his two throwers.

“Both Maja and Juliet did well in their respective events at Champs where Juliet was third and Maja sixth and I expext both to be at least in the top five of their respective events,” he said.

Last year Henry was ninth in the discus while Smith ended 11th in the shot put.

Forde, who is being accompanied by assistant coach Floyd Quarrie, also thanked the people who made the Penn Relays trip possible.

“I must say a big ‘thank you’ to the sponsors along with the principal and the parents, who all made the trip possible,” said Forde.