Third time’s the charm for Edwin Allen’s 4x800m
FOR WEEKS, Edwin Allen High have sought competition for their 4x800 metres relay group. On the third attempt at last Saturday’s Milo Western Relays, coach Michael Dyke’s quartet found what they were looking for in the form of a stouthearted Holmwood Technical unit that battled all the way to the finish line.
Edwin Allen ran solo on their previous trip to the GC Foster College last month, and at the recent STETHS Invitational, the 4x800m was converted to a flat 800m race due to a lack of entries. That wasn’t the case at the Western Relays as Holmwood led at the first exchange. Monique Stewart, Edwin Allen’s 2023 Class Two 800/1500m ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs) queen, unleashed a two minutes 11.0 seconds split to give her team a good lead, but the stubborn Holmwood team built a big margin by the time the last baton exchange was made.
Holmwood hurried along, but 2022 Class Two 800/1500m winner Rackiesha Simms arrived just in time to rescue the win for Edwin Allen, 9:02.34 to 9.02.54 for Holmwood.
It was a fine day for Dyke’s team. Edwin Allen won all the 4x100m relays, with times of 48.71 seconds in Class Four, 46.69 in Class Three, 45.44 in Class Two, thanks to a swift second leg by Thianna-Lee Terrelonge and 45.41 in Class One.
In addition, there was a Class One high jump win for Edwin Allen’s Dejonae Bruce at 1.70 metres, two sprint hurdles victories including one in Class One by Santae Wilson and Kelly-Ann Carr in Class Two, and success in the invitational 800m and 1500m by Horacia Love and Sushana Johnson, respectively. Johnson clocked a personal best – 4:51.82.
Holmwood took the Class Three 80m Hurdles thanks to Nickayla Russell, 11.49 seconds, and the Class Four 70m Hurdles courtesy of Devonnie Francis, who clicked off a wind-aided time of 11.10.
There was a solid 4x800m relay win for Kingston College in 8:44.89. However, Excelsior won the Class One 4x100m with Kingston College just third, and in the 4x400m, Excelsior put on a fine display. With the team loaded at the front, Excelsior triumphed in 3:13.72, with Kingston College back at 3.14.77.
Hurdler Daniel Wright blitzed the first leg from Lane 8, and the gifted Demarco Bennett kept the momentum going and then came the turning point. With 2022 Carifta Under 17 victor Marchino Rose gaining for Kingston College, Bennett and then Davis opened the lead enough for Excelsior to reach safety.
In the throwing circle, Javontae Smith gave Munro College both the Class Two discus and shot titles. Smith produced personal best distances of 18.45m in the shot and 53.28m in the discus. In Class One, Smith’s senior teammate, Chad Hendricks, approached 60 metres with his winning distance of 59.23m.