History-making Rhodes Hall 14yo takes big scalps

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:

ON FRIDAY’S second day of competition at the 127th staging of the Penn Relays inside the Franklin Field Stadium, Rhodes Hall High School’s Aaliyah Willary was special.

One day before her 15th birthday, and competing in her first Penn Relays competition, she took some big scalps to finish second in the High School Championships of America high jump.

Willary, who was third in the event at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), cleared 1.70 metres and was tied for first place with Samantha Strydesky out of New Jersey. The two had to be separated by a jump off. Strydesky eventually took the win after clearing 1.69 metres.

Rhodes Hall’s girls were competing at the Penn Relays for the first time in their history, also taking part in the 4x400-metre relays.

Willary became the second athlete from that institution to finish in the top two at the Carnival, following Rovaine Williams’ first-place finish in the High School Boys’ Championships of America 400-metre hurdles in 2018.

What made Willary’s feat even more special was that she had defeated five of her seniors from Jamaica, who competed at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

These included Class Two winner Dejanea Bruce of Edwin Allen, along with the Wolmer’s pair of Shanequa Williams and Danielle Noble, who were second and third at Champs. She also defeated Class One winner Torian Caven of Vere Technical High School and Malieka Cunningham of Wolmer’s. Caven also went on to win the Under-20 event at the Carifta Games, where Bruce was second.

FEELING GOOD

“I feel very good about my performance, knowing that I was able to come to the Penn Relays and finish second in the event, as it was the first time I was competing in this kind of weather,” said the very shy Willary.

Willary’s coach Ronda Parchment was even more overjoyed for his young athlete’s achievement.

“I am extremely elated with Aaliyah’s achievement. We at Rhodes Hall are very fortunate to have such a talented athlete in the track and field programme. It is a really good feeling,” said Parchment.

According to the coach, this season marked the first time Willary was taking on the high jump.