KINGSTON, Jamaica – Holmwood Technical and St. Elizabeth Technical closed out the 2016 Gibson McCook Relays with thrilling wins in the women’s and men’s respective 4x400m events.
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Holmwood Tech, on the back of a brilliant anchor leg from specialist Ashley Williams, captured the women’s event with a time of 3:37.35.
Collecting the baton in the lead, Williams was overtaken by a very talented Junelle Bromfield of STETHS who had used a very strong first 250m effort to blow past her rival and take the lead.
However, Bromfield evidently went out too hard and was passed back by Williams, who had kept things cool while under pressure in the early parts of the final leg.
Like many viewers watching the race, Williams also felt Bromfield did too much too early to cut into the deficit.
“Junelle went out too hard,” the Holmwood Tech anchor leg runner said, adding that she knew what to do after she was passed because, “I studied her because she is my rival.”
STETHS finished second in the race in 3:37.64 with Edwin Allen taking third place in 3:41.41.
On the Boys side, STETHS got the better of St. Jago and Holmwood Tech.
Nigel Ellis closed with an unofficial 46.4 seconds split on the anchor leg for St. Elizabeth Technical who posted a time of 3:13.08 to steal the show.
St. Jago who held the lead before Ellis’ super run, finished second with 3:13.69 ahead of Holmwood, at 3:13.70.
In the clubs and institutions men’s 4x400m relay race, Jamaican champion Javon Francis ran another eye-popping anchor leg to guide his Akan Track Club to victory in 3:07.28 — holding off a strong finish from Sprintec who ran 3:07.37 and Cameron Blazers Track Club, 3:07.87.
GC Foster College had clocked 3:07.32 for second place, but was later disqualified.
In the women’s race, World Championships 400m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson smoothly carried UTech home with a time of 3:31.79.
Cameron Blazers was second in 3:33.83 with G.C Foster College taking third place in 3:40.02.
Elsewhere at the 2016 Gibson McCook Relays on Saturday, Jamaica College won the Class One Boys’ 4x100m with a time of 40.01, this after overwhelming favourites and defending champions Calabar had a mishap on the second leg and did not finish.
Calabar also had problems at the first exchange in the Class Two Boys’ 4x100m as well, but 41.21 managed to steal the win very comfortably in the end in 41.21.
Tyreke Wilson had pulled up injured while running the first leg in the final, but somehow managed to give his teammate the signal to stay put and wait to collect the baton.
It was also good to see Jhevaughn Matherson of Kingston College fit again after the sprinter anchored his school to victory in the Class 1 boys’ 4x200m final with a time of 1:26.03.
