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Penn Relays teams await the gun in the girls’ 4x100m.
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Excelsior Eagles get ready to run at the Penn Relays.
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Boys get ready to run at the Penn Relays in Franklin Field, Pennsylvania last week.
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Hydel High School's girls catch a breath after winning a record fifth-straight Championship of America 4x400m relay title.
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Getting ready! A Kingston College athlete makes last-minute adjustments before competiting at the Penn Relays in Pennsylvania last week.
When Jamaica College’s 4x800m Penn Relays team of 1999 was recently inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame, it marked the 12th time in history that a Jamaican high school relay unit had been recognised for its achievements.
Former female high-school powerhouses Vere Technical lead the way as the Hayes, Clarendon-based institution has been inducted a total of six times. They were the first female team to be recognised, earning the award for their 1988 achievement. Alwren Wallace, Catherine Scott, Inez Turner, and Sheridan Smith were honoured for their win in the Championship of America 4x400m relay.
Three years later, Vere Technical were at it again as two teams — their 1991 4x400m and 4x800m squads — were rewarded. Inez Turner secured her third honour, and Scott, Claudine Williams, and Charmane Howell earned their second. Turner, Scott, Howell, and Williams were members of the 4x400m team, and Howell, Williams, Turner and her sister Janice made up the 4x800m unit.
Vere did not have to wait long for their third Wall of Fame award as a year later, in 1992, another distance medley quartet was recognised. The Turner sisters, Janice and Evette, along with Charlene Robinson and Avia Morgan, made up that team.
The quartet of Melocia Clarke, Natalee Sterling, Veronica Campbell-Brown, and Aileen Bailey, who formed the 4x100m relay team, received their award in 1998. Vere Technical made it five times lucky with another 4x100m team being recognised in 2004, with India Spence, Maria Wisdom, Sharneter Stewart, and Simone Facey as members.
Camperdown High School’s female 4x100m 1989 quartet of Marie Taylor, Revoli Campbell, Helena Rochester, and Andria Lloyd became the second Jamaican high school to receive the honour, following their first Penn Relays title.
Holmwood Technical became the third to be awarded for their 4x400m success in 2001 when Kerri-Ann White, Karen Gayle, Aneisha McLaughlin, and Sheryl Morgan piloted the Christiana-based team to victory.
St Jago High (twice), Calabar, and Camperdown male teams were also inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame. Both Calabar and St Jago were recognised in 1990 — Calabar for their 4x400m success with Chris Gallimore, Everton Rhoden, Daniel England, and Hugh Powell, while St Jago’s 4x800m team of Carlton Allen, Mark Lucas, Eaton Evans, and Michael Williams shared the honour.
St Jago were inducted for a second time in 2007, becoming the top male team to be recognised, with their 4x400m quartet of Andre Walsh, Riker Hylton, Nickeal Ashmeade, and Yohan Blake.
Camperdown were actually the first male team to be recognised as in 1986, their 4x100m quartet of Derrick Thomas, Carey Johnson, Ralston Wright, and Garfield Campbell was honoured.
When Elva Goulbourne received her individual Wall of Fame award at last week’s 130th staging for her 1999 record-breaking long jump achievement for Dinthill Technical, it marked the fourth individual honour for a Jamaican high school athlete at the relay carnival.
Other individuals previously recognised include Trecia Smith of Manning High, Inez Turner, and Yohan Blake.