Jamaica’s UTech, High School Boys Win Big At Penn Relays

Calabar took the win in three races at the Penn Relays. (Christopher Chaplin image)

News Americas, PHILADELPHIA, PA, Sunday, April 26, 2015: Jamaica’s University of Technology and several of its high school boys emerged champions at the 121st running of the Penn Relays, held at the Ben Franklin Field in Philadelphia between April 23 and 25th.

UTech’s women Shimayra Williams, Chanice Bonner, Elaine Thomposn and Shericka Jackson won the College Women’s 4×200 Championship of America Invitational in a time of 1:30.80 to beat back Texas A&M while their male counterparts, Andrew Fisher, Kemarly Brown, Kavean Smith and Julian Forte also won.

The boys took the win in the College Men’s 4×200 Championship of America Invitational in a time of 1:20.97 ahead of fellow Jamaican College G.C. Foster. G.C.boys Collin King, Brandon Tomlinson, Chadic Hinds and Demish Gaye came in second in a time of 1:23.02.

UTech men’s team also won the College Men’s 4×100 Championship of America Invitational. Andrew Fisher, Julian Forte, Kemarley Brown and Tyquendo Tracey finished in a time of 39.27 to beat Texas A&M and G.C. Foster.

Andrew Fisher  of U-Tech, who led off the winning 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams was named College Men’s Athlete of the Meet for Relay Events.

UTech’s women, however, had to settle for second place in the College Women’s 4×400 Championship of America Invitational as they were bested by The University of Texas in a time of 3:29.46 to their 3:31.34.

HIGH SCHOOL WINS

In the high school championship, Calabar maintained their dominance. The Calabar team of Kingston, Jamaica took wins in the High School Boys’ 4×100 Championship of America and the High School Boys’ 4×400 Championship of America.

Calabar’s Zandre Blake, Michael Ohara, Jullane Walker and Seanie Selvin beat back Raheem Chambers, Chad Walker, Nathon Allen and Ivan Henry of St. Jago to take the win in the 4×100 in a time of 39.63. St. George’s College of Kingston and St. Elizabeth College of Santa Cruz, Jamaica rounded out the third and fourth spots to ensure a total Jamaican sweep of the 4×100 relays.

O’Hara of  Calabar was named High School Boys’ Athlete of the Meet for Relay Events. O’Hara ran the 2nd leg on the winning 4×100 team that set a new Penn Relays record of 39.63. He anchored the winning 4×400 team to a time of 3:09.97 with a split of 46.68.

Calabar’s Jullanie Walker and Travis Riley also excelled in the High School Boys’ Long Jump Championship, presented by Team Jamaica Bickle. Walker claimed the win with 7.45m while Riley was second with 7.34m.

Anthony Carpenter (50.4), Aykeeme Francis (46.3), Renado Wilson (46.57) and Michael O’Hara (46.68) finished in a time of 3:09.97 in the 4×400 to beat fellow Jamaican schools – Jamaica College and St. Elizabeth Tech.

St. Elizabeth Tech’s team of Romario Guthrie (1:56.86), Paul Tate (1:52.84), Shemar Salmon (1:56.51) and Jauavney James (1:52.18), however, managed to claim the win in the High School Boys’ 4×800 Championship of America, finishing in a time of 7:38.38 to hold off Miguel Morrison (1:56.35), Chad Miller (1:54.37), Delano Rochester (1:55.13) and Twayne Crooks (1:52.71) Kingston College.

Saqukine Cameron of  Edwin Allen was named High School Girls’ Athlete of the Meet for Relay Events. Cameron was on two Championship of America-winning teams, anchoring the 4×400 with a split 2.23 seconds better than any other anchor on the track. On Thursday, she was the third leg on the COS winning 4×100 team.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas’ Tabernacle high school of Freeport won the High School Boys’ 4×100 Small Schools ahead of Jamaica’s Munro College.

Johnathan Smith, Javon Martin, Ken Russell and Holland Martin finished in 41.39 ahead of Rushane Edwards, Fabian Murray, Caniggia Harriott and Ryan Jackson of Munro College.

Marvin Williams of St. Elizabeth Tech was named High School Boys’ Athlete of the Meet for Individual Events. He won the 400 Hurdles with the time of 51.11, the 4th fastest ever run at the Relays.

Clayton Brown of Jamaica won the College High School Boys’ High Jump Championship with 2.09m while Wilson Lushane of St. Jago was second with 2.06m.

Odaine Lewis of Cornwall College was the winner in the High School Boys’ Triple Jump Championship with 15.37m while Obrien Wasome of Jamaica College was second with 15.28m.

Meanwhile, Rachelle DeOrbeta of Puerto Rico won the Junior Women’s 5K Racewalk in 23:00.84.