By Paul A. Reid, Senior Staff Reporter 
Christiana High's Camille Robinson goes through her training routine at Franklin Field yesterday as she prepares for this morning's High School Girls 400m hurdles event. - Paul Reid
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.:
HOLMWOOD TECHNICAL will start their defence of all three Championships of America relay events, the 4x800m, 4x100m and 4x400m today as the 108th Penn Relays Carnival gets into high gear at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
The Christiana-based school, under the astute guidance of Maurice Wilson, swept all three titles last year, while extending their good runs in the longer event, the 4x800m to a fourth straight year.
Jamaican High School girls will take part in all 10 events today including a number of field events and seven gold medals will be awarded.
Events in which Jamaican high schoolers will be taking and medals awarded are the 400m hurdles, distance medley relay, the javelin Open, long jump, triple jump, high jump and shot put.
In addition to their opponents, the Jamaicans are expected to have to battle with the elements as the predictions are for overcast and cold conditions today with the strong possibility of thunderstorms.
Holmwood's Wilson is confident his charges will make tomorrow's finals in all three relays but added that while he thought they could repeat the clean sweep, it would be "very difficult".
Wilson said his main area of concern was in the 4x800m as he was forced to leave out Sanita Sutherland who suffered from dehydration at Champs last week.
Holmwood will also be without World Games relay runner Nadine Palmer who was left behind in Manchester so she could rest up for the World Juniors in July.
Holmwood are expected to battle their long time rivals Edwin Allen Comprehensive in the 4x800.
Fourteen Jamaican high schools are down to take part in the 4x100m relays and another tough battle is expected between Holmwood, who won in 44.89 seconds last year, and St. Jago, especially after their dead heat in the Class One events at Champs last weekend.
Holmwood and St. Jago are also expected to be the class of the 4x400m relays which will also see 14 Jamaican schools taking part.
Both teams went under Vere Technical's then 10 year-old record last year with Holmwood scorching the track with a blistering 3:34.75.
Edwin Allen are the only Jamaica entry in the distance medley event.
World Games representative, defending champion and record holder Melaine Walker of St. Jago will start favourites to repeat her win in the 400m hurdles.
Walker set the record of 57.85 seconds last year but is coming off her first loss in the event in the Caribbean after she was upset by Holmwood Technical's Sheryl Morgan at amps last week.
Morgan is not entered in the hurdles event here but Walker will have to contend with national junior teammate Camille Robinson of Christiana High - the World Youth Championships gold medallist and Bridgeport High's Tricia Simms.
Tacius Golding's Kedine Geddes who won the Class One event at Champs last week, will start favourite to
repeat in the long jump but will face stiff competition from fellow Jamaicans Peta-Gaye Beckford of Holmwood and the St. Jago pair of Jovanee Jarrett and Nadine Marsh.
Vere Technical's Kemeisha Nelson, who was second last year, will lead the Jamaicans in the triple jump which will also see St. Elizabeth Technical's Andrea Smythe and Latoya Hutchinson of St Andrews taking part.
Holmwood Technical's Shaunette Davidson, the Carifta Under-20 champion should be odds-on favourite to take the high jump after placing second last year and her biggest test should come from national junior teammate Peaches Roach of Alpha who won at Class Two at Champs last week.
Sherita Harriott will represent William Knibb Memorial High in the javelin. Harriott won the event at Champs last week and is the three-time champion at the Western Championships.
