High five for Jamaica
IT WAS a dominant opening day in field events by Jamaican high schools at yesterday’s opening day of the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jamaican athletes won five events, with inter-secondary girls’ champions Edwin Allen High accounting for three.
Gabrielle McDonald of Edwin Allen got things off to a bright start, competing in the first track event, the 400 metres hurdles. She led from start to finish to win in 58.65 seconds. American Lauren Hoffman of Battlefield, Virginia, was second in 59.69. Nicolee Foster of Holmwood Technical failed to show for the event.
Fiona Richards made it a quick double for Edwin Allen minutes later. She added to her wins at Champs and Carifta Games in the girls’ discus open, throwing an impressive 51.66 metres.
Jonique Burgher, the Carifta Under-18 champion, made it a hat-trick of wins for Edwin Allen on the day by capturing the high jump with a best of 1.78 metres.
WINNING LEAP
St Jago High long jumper Tissana Hickling maintained her winning form this season. The defending champion in the girls’ long jump triumphed despite illness and a shoe problem. Her winning leap was 6.28 metres. Edwin Allen’s Annia Ashley finished third with 5.94 metres.
Despite competing in the triple jump for the first time ,Holmwood Technical’s Keneva Headley closed off a fine day for the Jamaicans as she won the event with 13.00 metres. Myesha Nott of Rusea’s High was second with 12.66 metres, with St Jago High’s Danielle Spence taking third, also with 12.66 metres.