AFTER a slow start to the season, Holmwood Technical's 4x400 metres team exploded at Boys and Girls' Athletic Championships with a record-breaking performance to place themselves as the favourites going into this year's Penn Relays.

Winners of four titles in this event at 'Penns', the Maurice Wilson-coached team after being outclassed all season by Man-chester High and Edwin Allen Comprehensive, showed who were queens of this event when they blew away their opponents to clock an astonishing 3:34.35 to break their own record of 3:35.26 set in 2006. The time is also faster than the Penn Relays record of 3:34.75 they set in 2001.

Holmwood were led to their record run by a brilliant anchor leg by 14-year-old Chris-Ann Gordon who clocked a sub-52 seconds on her leg.

Despite their record-breaking performance, it will be no walkover for Holmwood as they will be without Gordon, who did not run in the preliminary round, and Manchester High who clocked 3:36.54 and Edwin Allen with 3:37.24 for second and third, respectively, at Champs are no pushovers.

Still Holmwood have enough depth to pull them through as their team will come from Keno Heaven, Petra Fanty and Janieve Russell who were part of the record run, along with Samantha Woodburn and Tamara Keane.

Second to Holmwood

After dominating earlier in the season, Penn Relays runners-up last year, Manchester High, have a glorious chance to go one place better. When they finished second to Holmwood a week ago, they did so without two of their best quarter-milers in Sandrae Farquharson and Shauna Gay Tracy. If both athletes report fit and with the outstanding Natoya Goule, Denisha Morris and Chantel Adams to choose from, they could upstage Holmwood Technical and give coach Jerry Holness their first victory in this event at these championships.

The Jamaican teams will be strongly challenged by defending champion Eleanor Roosevelt out of Maryland who will be seeking their third victory in a row. Two months ago at the New York Balance indoor meet, they clocked 3:41.75 and a few weeks ago, they clocked sub-3:41 seconds in their first outdoor meet and cannot be taken lightly.

Outsiders to watch are Vere Technical who clocked 3:39.60 to finish fourth at Champs along with Benjamin Cardoza of Queens, New York. They clocked 3:45.36 at the New York Balance Indoor Meet.

- R.G.