Tough going for Calabar, St Jago

Calabar High School found the going tough at Penn Relays in Philadelphia, while St Jago's male and female teams, who have also been successful over the years, failed to add to their tally but had encouraging results with their young troupes.

It was indeed a telling baptism for first-time head coach Julian Robinson, as the Red Hills Road-based school found the going very tough this time.

One of the most successful Jamaican high school teams at the relays, Calabar High have won 20 Championships of America titles, including 10 in the 4x400m, nine in the 4x100m, and one in the 4x800m.

Holders of the 4x100m record with their 39.00 seconds done in 2017, and 3:03.79 in the 4x400m in 2018, the team failed this time around to advance to either of the Championships of America finals in both events.

Starting as defending champions in the 4x100 metres, they finished third in their heat in 41.58, which was only good enough for the consolation finals. There, they ended third in 42.48 behind William Knibb, who won in 40.71 and St George's College, 42.27.

FAILED

In the 4x400m, they ended fourth in their heat of the preliminary round in 3:20.81 and failed to advance to the final.

St Jago's male team, who in the past have garnered 11 titles -- six in the 4x400m, four in the 4x100m and one in the 4x800m -- also under new head coach Carl Page, fared much better. The Monk Street-based team, with a very young quartet of three Class Two and one Class One athletes in Tray Bennett, Marquies Page, Rajuan Romelly and Jevaney Findlay, ended a respectable fourth in the Championships of America 4x100m final in a season best 40.43, with winners Jamaica College (40.03) and runners-up Kingston College (40.19) the only Jamaican teams to finish ahead of them.

With four Championships of America 4x100m titles and two in the 4x400m for an overall six titles, St Jago's girls, with their quartet of Class Two athletes --

Shannia Campbell, Adora Campbell, Martina Parkes and Trish Ann Grant - were very competitive in the Championships of America 4x100m final.

A brilliant opening leg from Shannia Campbell had them in front of a very strong Edwin Allen team, and they were competitive through the first three legs before the experience of Edwin Allen prevailed in the end, winning in 44.13 ahead of them. They eventually finished second in 45.08.