Hydel impress in 4x100m heats at Penns

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania

HYDEL HIGH’S girls have set their sights firmly on another 4x100 metres, 4x400m double following competition on yesterday’s opening day of the 128th staging of the Penn Relays at the Franklin Field Stadium at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Corey Bennett-coached defending champions easily advanced to the finals of both events. The sprint quartet of Shemonique Hazle, Alliah Baker, Shania Myers, and Jody Ann Daley first set the stage in chilly conditions with a nippy 45.99 seconds in the 4x100m heats to be the fastest qualifiers in the Championship of America 4x100m final.

Five other Jamaican teams will run in the final. They are Holmwood Technical 46.38, St Mary High 46.46, St Jago 46.55, Edwin Allen 46.59, and Wolmer’s Girls 46.72. The final is slated for 1:15 p.m. today Jamaica time. Archbishop John Carroll of Washington, DC, are the top Americans. They are the second-fastest qualifiers after posting 46.11 to win their heat.

Seven Jamaican teams will be in the 4x100m International (B) final, which will be contested five minutes earlier. The teams are St Elizabeth Technical 47.72, Immaculate Conception High 47.73, Excelsior High 47.82, St Andrew High 48.18, Vere Technical 48.28, Manchester High 48.37, and St Catherine High 48.52.

Hydel are the second-fastest school in the final of the 4x400m. The event will be run at 3:55 p.m. today. They won their heat in 3:41.47 and are the second-fastest qualifiers behind Edwin Allen, who won their heat in 3:41. 33. The other Jamaican teams advancing to the final are St Elizabeth Technical 3:43.83, Vere Technical 3:46.60, and Wolmer’s Girls 3:47.47.

Edwin Allen, runners-up last year in the 4x800m, clocked 9:04.67 to win their heat to be the third-fastest qualifiers for today’s final. Alphansus Davis High were third in their heat in 9:06.25 to be the fourth-fastest qualifiers while Holmwood clocked 9:18.65 for second place in their heat to grab the 12th and final qualifying spot. Defending champions Union Catholic of New Jersey are the fastest qualifiers after winning their heat in 9:02.27.

There were two individual winners for Jamaica in field events. St Jago High’s Jade-Ann Dawkins had a best of 13.01 metres to retain the triple jump title.

Jaeda Robinson of Immaculate was second with 12.70m and Celine Riddle of Holmwood took third with 12.69m. Shaniqua Williams of Wolmer’s Girls captured the high jump after clearing 1.73m, the same height cleared by teammate Danielle Noble, who was second.

HAPPY FOR WIN

“I am happy for the win, but I was disappointed with the distance as I really wanted to do a personal best,” Dawkins said.

Competition for high school boys will start today, with the preliminary round of the 4x100m starting at 9:30 a.m. Defending champions Jamaica College will lead a host of Jamaican teams down to contest the event, where the final is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:29 p.m.

Defending men’s 4x200m collegiate champions GC Foster College will have a busy schedule today as they are down to contest the final of the that event at 2:10 p.m. They will also be participating in the preliminary round of the 4x100m alongside the University of Technology and Mico University College. GC Foster will also compete in the sprint medley relay final and the preliminary round of the 4x400m.