Excelsior claim Penns gold after 57 years

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:

EXCELSIOR, KINGSTON College (KC), and Jamaica College (JC) shared the spotlight on yesterday’s final day of the 128th staging of the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, after winning one event each.

Excelsior scored the first win of the day, breaking a 57-year drought in the Championships of America 4x100m boys’ relay.

The quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent, and Lennon Green captured the school’s second title, winning in 40.45 seconds.

KC ended second in 40.53, while Herbert Morrison Technical were third in 40.58.

Calabar were fifth in 40.76, St Jago sixth in 40.92, and St George’s College seventh in 41.69. Defending champions JC were ninth in 41.76.

The David Riley-coached team, which came to the relay carnival as the favourites and who were the fastest qualifiers going into the final, did not disappoint, with smooth baton changes throughout.

KC had a slight lead going into the final exchange but Green kept his cool on anchor to give his team the win.

Riley was elated with his team’s success.

“I am very happy for the win as, in 2016 and 2017, we came to the Penn Relays with winning teams but baton mishaps cost us. We came here with the potential to win and the guys did so, and this is extremely good for the programme going forward,” said Riley.

Led by a brilliant anchor leg from Kemarrio Bygrave, JC captured the Championships of America high-school boys’ 4x800 metres relay in 7:42.37 minutes, ahead of St John’s College out of Washington DC, second in 7:44.66. Central Bucks West out of Pennsylvania were third in 7:45.99.

KC ended fifth in 7.49.65. The other members of the JC team were Nellie Ambriton, Samuel Creary and Rasheed Pryce.

Bygrave, who got the baton third, made up more than 30 metres to catch the St John’s College anchor-leg runner less than 10 metres from the finish. Bygrave was pleased with his run.

“It was very close and I just did enough to catch him, as I had the belief and mindset that I could have,” said Bygrave.

“My coach always tells me that the race is not over until you cross the finish line, and that motivated me. It has been a good season for me following performances at Champs and the Carifta Games and, being a member of the winning team at Penns in 2022, this win is more special as it is my final year in high school,” said Bygrave.

KC made it three wins in a row in the Championships of America 4x400 metres. The quartet of Antonio Forbes, Marchino Rose, Roshawn Lee and Amal Glasgow took advantage of a mishap on the final-leg exchange, which left favourites Bullis High School out of contention for a medal.

The incoming runner for Bullis fell before exchanging the baton, leaving Quincy Wilson, the high-school individual male athlete of the meet, with a mountain to climb.

KC won in 3:11.86, with Excelsior second in 3:1296. Bullis, through the efforts of Wilson, would end third in 3:13.10.

There was an hour-long delay before the presentation to the winners, with Bullis filing an unsuccessful appeal.