Record number of girls for field events at Penns

A RECORD number of local high school girls will contest field events at this year’s Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

Defending triple jump champion Jade-Ann Dawkins of St Jago High will be one of 26 local girls who will contest five finals which are all scheduled for Thursday’s opening day of the three-day relay carnival.

Fresh off her win at the ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), where she used her final effort to get up to 13.28 metres after being in fifth position, Dawkins will be hoping to continue her winning ways and defend her title.

Dawkins will be up against two other athletes who also went over the 13 metres barrier at Champs: Jaeda Robinson of Immaculate Conception High, who was second with 13.21m, and Celine Riddle of Holmwood Technical, who was third with 13.04 metres. The field will also include Richelle Stanley of St Elizabeth Technical and Holmwood’s Julissa Knight.

Class One long jump champion Rohanna Sudlow of St Catherine High, who won the event with 6.37m, will renew battle with third-place finisher Chloe Palmer of St Elizabeth Technical, who did 6.30m. Sudlow’s teammate, Rihanna Chambers, Jenelle Canns of St Jago, and Shinelle Jhagaroo-Bryan of Manchester High will also contest the event.

The following are the other events and the Jamaicans down to compete.

Discus: Najhada Seymour (Excelsior), Able Mills (St Catherine), Athilla Pryce (Clarendon), Janine Lindsay (Manchester), Shentangelo Williams (Denbigh), and Abigail Bennett (Merle Grove).

Shot put: Kimeka Smith (St Jago), Kahillah Bailey and Altonique James (Excelsior), Marla Kay-Lampert (Clarendon), Natassia Burrell (Hydel), Oshari Buchanan (St Catherine).

High jump: Rasheda Samuels (Edwin Allen), Shaniqua Williams and Danielle Noble (Wolmer’s Girls), Jhaneke Brown (Manchester).