On a sizzling spring day at the 123rd Penn Relays, Jamaica and USA split overall win totals among the six USA vs The World events contested Saturday.
The final day of the meet began with the Jamaican women (Christania Williams, Kerron Stewart, Gayon Evans, Elaine Thompson) edging out their American counterparts 42.25 sec to 42.42 sec in the women’s 4x100m relay.
USA Red (featuring Dezerea Bryant, Kim Duncan, English Gardner, Morolake Akinosun) had the lead handing off to Akinosun, who was unable to hold off the reigning 100-and 200m Olympic champion Thompson.
On the men’s side, the race was even until Beejay Lee handed off to John Teeters, who was able separate from Jamaica’s Jevaughn Minzie to a 38.87secs victory.
The Jamaica team of Kevaughn Rattray, Oshane Bailey, Kavean Smith and Minzie finished second in 39.01secs.
The Sprint Medley events saw success for both USA men’s and women’s teams, with (Beejay Lee, Wallace Spearmon, Bryshon Nellum and Donovan Brazier), recording an event record of 3:11.45 over USA Blue, in second place at 3:13.12.
Jamaica ended fourth in 3:19.97, using the quartet of Mario Forsythe, Jamari Rose, Allodin Fothergill and Jo-Wayne Hibbert.
The women sprint medley running a unique style of the event (with the medley consisting of 100m, 100m, 200m, 400m) saw USA winning in 1:35.59 ahead of Jamaica 1:36.67 with Audra Segree, Natasha Morrison, Anastasia Le-Roy and Verone Chambers.
Conversely, Jamaica won both the men’s and women’s 4×400 relays. Anchor leg Fitzroy Dunkley ran down Calvin Smith in the final metres of the home stretch to beat USA 3:03.14 to 3:03.25. Martin Manley opened for Jamaica to Leford Green with Jermain Gayle, who split 46.05secs on the third leg.
Perennial mile relay power Bahamas, with Michael Mathieu, Demetrius Pinder, Ramon Miller (46.75), and Andretti Bain (46.22), finished third in 3:06.20, ahead of Guyana 3:09.00.
The women (Stephanie-Ann McPherson, Shericka Jackson, Dawnalee Loney, and Janieve Russell) won in 3:28.33 ahead of USA 3:29.30. Bahamas did not finish.