Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

PHILADELPHIA:

ACTION AT the 113th Penn Relays gets under way at the Franklyn Field stadium this morning, but the real focus will be on St. Jago's Yohan Blake, come tomorrow.

According to a report on the Penn Relays website, Blake, who ran 10.21 for the boys Class One 100m at Champs, and 10.11 for the National Junior and Carifta Games records earlier this month, is the talk of the town and one of the questions that has been asked is will he become a legend in Philadelphia?

The next three days will also pit the best of Jamaican high school athletes against the best of the United States as the relay heats start today.

Again, Holmwood are strong favourite to retain their 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m girls titles. Manchester High, St. Jago and Edwin Allen, along with Eleanor Roosevelt of Maryland, could test the defending champions in the 4x400m and 4x800m relays, while Long Beach Poly and Rancho Verde of California will join the party in the 4x400 and 4x100m.

Record treat in store

Holmwood, with Schillonie Calvert, Anastasia Le-Roy, Bobby-Gayle Wilkins who ran 52.03 at Carifta trials, and Andrea Reid or Keno Haven could be in for a record treat as they have already run 3:34.29, which is better than the meet record of 3:34.75.

Holmwood ran 3:38.49 at Champs to beat Edwin Allen (3:40.25), who will be banking heavily on Andrea Sutherland, Shakeeri Cole, Verone Chambers and Kimberly Smith, and Manchester (3:41.68) with Shana-Gaye Tracey, who ran 53.53 to win Class Two, Natoya Goule, Denisha Morris and Judith Riley. In the 4x100m, Holmwood could be tested as Manchester, Vere, Edwin Allen and St. Jago will be boosted by athletes from lower classes. However, it will be tough to beat an experienced Holmwood team with Calvert, Le-Roy, Taneisha Blair and Reid, but don't rule out Manchester which is likely to be anchored by Morris, Edwin Allen with Kimberly Smith, and Nafeene Briscoe and St. Jago with Latoya King and Natasha Ruddock.

Holmwood won last year in 44.56, but Sonita Sutherland and Rosemarie Whyte are not around. That should not concern coach Maurice Wilson too much, however, as they clocked 44.64 at this year's Girls Champs.

Poly ran 45.79 at Arcadia, the nation's leading time, and Rancho Verde were second at 46.50. Poly were second to Vere in that 2004 meet-record race, running 44.50 to set the still-standing U.S. high school record.

The girls 4x800m should easily go to Holmwood with Susan Hall, Bobby Wilkins, Keno Haven and Vannessa Boyd.

Action in the college section with also get under way today and G.C. Foster College and University of Technology (UTech) should carry Jamaica's flag high.