St Elizabeth Technical's Rochelle Farquharson.
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:
It was a great start for Jamaican athletes on yesterday's opening day of the 115th Penn Relays in Franklin Field, Pennsylvania.
St Elizabeth Technical's Peter Gaye Reid and teammate Rochelle Farquharson, along with Edwin Allen's Nikita Tracy, all mined gold.
Tracy, the high school and Carifta Games 400 metres hurdles champion, gave Jamaica a perfect start when she took the first high school final of the day. Tracy won in 57.44 seconds with Wolmer's Danielle Dowie second in 59.61.
Championship event
Tracy was very pleased with her victory.
"I am happy to win a championship event in my final year at Penns, and I am looking forward to the 4x400 and 4x800 metres finals," she said.
Last year's winner Reid made it two in a row in the high jump as she equalled her personal best of 1.80 metres.
"This victory is sweeter than last year as I was able to equal my career best," said Reid, who won at Carifta with the same height a week ago.
Farquharson, who broke the Under-17 triple jump record at Carifta, won with 12.54 metres. St Hugh's Micara Vassell had a second-place finish in the shot put with a heave of 13.28 metres. Vere Technical's Shaneika Thomas was third in the triple jump with 12.17m, and Wolmer's Jhanell Facey ended fourth in the long jump with 5.72m. Defending champion Tynita Butts of T.C. Williams won with a best of 6.07m.
Jamaican high schools are set to dominate today's events.
The first final involving Jamaican teams will run off at noon (Jamaica time), as defending champions Holmwood Technical, Edwin Allen and Manchester High will compete in the 4x800 metres final. Holmwood (9:08.23) are the fastest qualifiers ahead of Manchester High (9:11.23) and Edwin Allen (9:13.54).
At 1:42 p.m. (Jamaica time) six local teams will seek victory in the 4x100 metres Championships of America final, where Edwin Allen are the defending champions. Herbert Morrison (46.90) are the fastest qualifiers from Jamaica, ahead of Holmwood Technical (46.90). The other Jamaican teams in the final are Vere Technical (46.95), Edwin Allen (47.00), St Jago (47.11) and Manchester High (47.59).
Eleanor Roosevelt from Maryland, following their disappointment in not making the 4x400 metres final, will be hoping to stop the Jamaicans as they are the fastest qualifiers with 46.11 seconds. Vere are the favourites despite going in with the fourth-fastest time as they rested Deandra Whitehorne and she will replace Peta Gaye Beckford in the final.
Consolation final
Wolmer's Girls (48.33) will contest the consolation final for large schools, while Alpha (48.17), St Elizabeth Technical (48.65) and Camperdown (48.96) will compete in the small schools consolation finals.
New champions will be crowned in the 4x400 metres which will get under way at 5:20 p.m. (Jamaica time) as defending champions Eleanor Roosevelt finished third in their heat in 3: 52.18 and failed to advance. Holmwood, without Keno Heaven, ran the fastest time of 3:41.45 while Vere Technical (3:45.45) are the second fastest. Manchester High (3:46.22) and Edwin Allen who finished third in their heat in 3:49.99 are also through to the final.