Carifta champions to take on best of the Americas in the field

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvannia:

WHEN THE 129th staging of the Penn Relays begins today, a record 24 competitors – led by three champions from the recent Carifta Games in Trinidad and Tobago – will take part in field events.

Action this morning begins at 8 a.m., with the Championships of America boys’ discus throw getting things under way. Jamaica College’s Joseph Salmon, who won gold at the Carifta Games with a throw of 56.82 metres, will lead six Jamaican high school throwers.

Salmon, who placed fifth in the event last year with 54.84 while competing for Clarendon College, his former school, will be hoping to maintain his impressive form this season and remain unbeaten.

Dylan Logan of Kingston College, who finished second at Carifta with 52.57 meres while competing for Grenada, will be looking to upstage Salmon. Also set to compete are Daijon Budhai of Kingston College, Delon Smith of Calabar, Rajay Hemmings of St Catherine High, and Rajeen Steele of Munro College.

Carifta Games under-20 shot put champion Despiro Wray of Kingston College will be among four Jamaican high school athletes contesting the event at 8:30 a.m.

Wray, who won with a throw of 19.66 metres, will be joined by second-place finisher Deandre Edwards of Munro College. Edwards’ teammate Javontae Smith, along with Marlando Ferguson of Cornwall College, will also be in action.

Jamaica College’s Chavez Penn, who struck gold in the boys’ under-20 triple jump at Carifta with a leap of 16.14 metres, will compete in another event, the high jump, at 9 a.m. He will be joined by the Kingston College duo of Aaron McKenzie and Tejahni Haynes, along with Santino Distin of Herbert Morrison Technical.

Jamaica College’s Michael Andre Edwards, who placed second behind Penn at Carifta with 15.66, will contest the triple jump, starting at 11 a.m.

He will be joined by Nicardo Grey Clarke of Wolmer’s Boys’ School, who was second in the event last year with 14.32.

The javelin throw is the other field event scheduled today, with three Jamaican high school athletes set to compete – Terrique Daley of Calabar, Jayvani Neckles of Jamaica College, and Alexander Betancourt of Kingston College.