Sports Minister Praises Student Athletes

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange, has praised the outstanding performance of Jamaica’s student athletes at the recently concluded Penn Relays in the USA, noting that the international community got another taste of ‘Brand Jamaica’.
“The more than 50,000 Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica and millions more watching at home on television got another taste of Brand Jamaica,” said Minister Grange, who watched Saturday’s (April 25) final day of competition at the Ben Franklin Stadium, University of Pennsylvania. She stated that the athletes and administrators “are deserving of our support and praise at this time.”
Edwin Allen High School (4x 400, 4x 800); and Vere Technical High School (4×100), shared the three Relay Championship of America titles for the girls, with Calabar High (4 x 100) and St. Jago High (4 x 400), sharing the boys’ titles.
In addition to the high school athletes, the final day of competition also featured collegiate and Olympic development events, and the United States in competition against international teams.
The Americans won four of the six titles up for grabs on the day with Kenya (9:22.04), denying them a win in the distance medley relay and Jamaica taking the sprint medley event. The quartet of Sheri-Ann Brooks, Rosemarie Whyte, Moya Thompson and Kenia Sinclair won in a world leading time of 3:34.56 seconds.
Asafa Powell appeared to have suffered an injury in the final leg of the 100 metres relay.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Dr. Ronald Robinson, who wrapped up a nine-day visit to the northeast United States at the relays, expressed his gratitude to the Diaspora for its support of the event and the athletes.
He said: “being at the Penn Relays was a tremendous opportunity. It reminded me of our boys’ and girls’ champs back home. You see the spirit of the Diaspora at work. The turn out and support was great and I am sure the youngsters feel very good that they have that level of support.”
Senator Robinson, who has portfolio responsibility for the Diaspora, presented the Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) champion girl prize to Nikita Tracey at an award function hosted by TBJ at Ben Franklin stadium after the meet.
Her impressive 57.44 seconds in the high school girls’ 400 metres hurdles was faster than the winning collegiate time.