After a Saturday morning which started out with temperatures just above freezing the weather at The University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field improved by early afternoon to see temperatures of around 16C (60F), with the sun shining gloriously.
| Team and coaches with shield and medals |
With the improvement in weather, given the conditions over the past two days, the stage was set for some history making and the Excelsior High Eagles did not disappoint. Urged on by thunderous applause from the largely Jamaican crowd, including the largest contingent of Excelsorians ever seen at Penns, the Eagles won their section of the Boys High School 4x400m Relay, by some 20 meters in 3:17.12. Thus creating history as this was the first time in 48 Years an Excelsior relay team was winning a Penn Relay Shield. During the race with the eagles steadily increasing their lead, the announcer remarked, “This is Excelsior from Kingston Jamaica, they came here for the first time 50 years ago”, creating a burst of swelling pride among the “Age” faithful.
This performance earned the Eagles a place into the event's Championship of America, a first in over a generation. In doing so they outperformed some of the more fancied teams, surprising even some of their most ardent supporters.
| Sprint Relay Team after winning heat on Friday |
Less than 3 hours later the Eagles (Ayoka Campbell, Romar Foster, Kenroy Williams & Imar Tomlinson) took their place in the High School Boys 4x100m Relay Final in which they finished 5th in a close race. Later in the afternoon the team of Shemar Hylton (49.7), Nathan Brown (48.4), Achebe Thompson (48.66) and Kenroy Williams (48,99) came home in 6th place in the Championship 4x400m in 3:15.74.
It was a fitting close to a successful meet in which XLCR reached the finals of 5 of the 6 events they contested, winning 2 medals and a shield; the events:
- Girls DT - Shanice Love - 2nd
- Girls SP - Nayoka Clunis - 9th overall
- Girls 4x100m Relay - 5th in SS finals
- Boys 4x100m Relay - 5th in SS finals
- Boys 4x400m Relay - 1st in Section; 6th in Championship of America.
The only event in which we did not make the final was the Girls 4x400m Relay.
Certainly a wonderful performance which created a buzz among the many Excelsorians in attendance with many wanting to chat and take pictures with the team.
On behalf on the XLCR T&F Programme I would like to thank those Alumni from NY who took time out to organise a post-Penns dinner for the team and coaches in celebration of their performance.
Attached pics show:
- Team and coaches with shield and medals
- Sprint Relay Team after winning heat on Friday
Age Animo,
Shaks
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