Photo by Anthony Foster
Manchester High's winning 4x800m team celebrates with coach Jerry Holness on yesterday's final day of the 114th Penn Relays at Franklin Field. Manchester won the event in 7:43.22.

Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

PHILADELPHIA:

CALABAR, ST JAGO and Manchester high sizzled to claim Championship of America titles on yesterday's final day of the 114th Penn Relays at Franklin Field stadium.

After two disasters in the morning session, where Calabar lost Ramone McKenzie, who was seen on crutches, and Kingston College's (KC) Andre Peart, who got hurt in the 4x400m heats, Jamaica schools did well by taking all three relays contested on the day.

It started in the Championship of America's boys' 4x100m when Calabar, running without regular second-leg man McKenzie, upset St Jago, who failed to finish.

The quartet of Andrew Riley, Earl Lee, Warren Weir and Oshane Bailey stopped the clock in 40.74. Riley, the team's captain, said the victory was great.

"One of our main players (McKenzie) was injured and that really motivated us. We wanted to show that it's not a one-man team, it's a group, so that really gave us a great boost to go out there and deliver for the school," Riley said.

"We really came here for this title," he said.

Camperdown finished second in 41.04, while St. George's College (41.33) came in third.

Equally impressive

The performance in the boys' 4x800m was equally impressive as Manchester, anchored by Alwayne Green, who received the baton about 10 metres behind in second, produced an impressive run to take his team home in 7:43.22 seconds.

"It's a great feeling," was how coach Jerry Holness described the boys' victory. He said they had been working hard for the title.

Holness said the boys were even more motivated by the girls' defeat on Friday. "They decided they wanted to come out and do it. Not only for themselves, but also for the girls and for Manchester High," he said.

St Jago ended a sweet day for Jamaica by taking the 1600m relay. The team of Andre Walsh, Riker Hilton, Adolphus Nevers and Nickel Ashmeade took their team home in 3:15.66 seconds. Bethel finished second in 3:16.33 while Camperdown (3:19.19), Holmwood (3:19.84) and Wolmer's (3:26.37) were fifth, sixth and eighth respectively.

Meanwhile, Andre Peart of Kingston College (KC) won the boys' High School 400m hurdles in 52.25 seconds.