PHILADELPHIA – Jamaica high school teams stamped their authority at Franklin Field on Friday (25 April), qualifying five of nine teams with Hydel leading the pack into Saturday’s Penn Relays Championship of America girls’ 4x100m final.
Hydel’s quartet of Shemonique Hazle, Jody-Ann Daley, Nastassia Fletcher, and Sashana Johnson clocked a swift 44.55 seconds, the fastest time of the heats, sending a strong message ahead of Saturday’s Championship of America final.
Right behind them on time, perennial powerhouse Edwin Allen High also made their presence felt, with Kerelle Etienne, Jounee Armstrong, Renecia Edwards, and Alexxe Henry combining for 44.64, the second-fastest time overall.
Wolmer’s Girls, led by Akeelah Bell, Tiana Marshall, Natrece East, and Abigale Wolfe, posted 45.50 to qualify third fastest. Holmwood Technical, featuring Regina Bailey, Kiara Meikle, Abrina Wright, and Doniellia Lewis, ran 46.00 to secure their place, while St. Mary High rounded out the Jamaican contingent into the Championship final with 46.18.
Penn Relays Championship of America girls’ 4x100m final
The lineup for Saturday’s marquee event includes five Jamaican teams:
- Holmwood Tech (Christiana, JAM)
- Wolmer’s Girls (Kingston, JAM)
- Edwin Allen (Clarendon, JAM)
- Hydel (St. Catherine, JAM)
- Bullis School (Potomac, MD)
- Archbishop John Carroll (Washington, DC)
- St. Mary (Highgate, JAM)
- Woodlawn (Woodlawn, MD)
- Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, NJ)
In the High School Girls’ International final, it will be an even broader Caribbean showcase. Excelsior High (Kingston) headlines the qualifiers after advancing with a strong performance. St. Jago High (St. Catherine) and Vere Technical(Clarendon) join them, each safely through to Saturday’s International race.
Adding to the Caribbean flavor, Queen’s College and St. Augustine’s College, both out of Nassau, Bahamas, earned their spots, ensuring Bahamian representation among the finalists. Mount Alvernia (Montego Bay, JAM) and St. Andrew High (Kingston, JAM) also made it through, demonstrating Jamaica’s incredible sprint depth.
Completing the International field, Charles E. Mills Secondary from Sandy Point, Saint Kitts and Nevis, will line up from Lane 1.
Penn Relays International girls’ 4x100m final
The full Caribbean qualifiers for the International Final are:
- Excelsior (JAM) – Lane 6
- St. Jago (JAM) – Lane 7
- Vere Technical (JAM) – Lane 8
- Queen’s College (BAH) – Lane 9
- St. Augustine’s College (BAH) – Lane 5
- Mount Alvernia (JAM) – Lane 4
- St. Andrew High (JAM) – Lane 3
- Charles E. Mills (SKN) – Lane 1
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