Saturday Highlights from Penn Relays

Boys 4x400m Qualifying Heats

TC Williams after fastest 4x400m prelim in 3:12.17

Fastest times: Top 8 go to Championship of America Final

TC Williams (VA) - 3:12.17
St. Elizabeth (JAM) - 3:13.46
Jamaica College (JAM) - 3:13.98
Calabar (JAM) 3:15.46
Cheltenham (PA) - 3:15.86
Kingston (JAM) - 3:15.86
Excelsior (JAM) - 3:17.16
Petersfield (JAM) - 3:17.19
----------------------------------------
St. Jago (JAM) - 3:17.42
Union Catholic (NJ) - 3:17.57
Bowie (MD) - 3:17.65
Central Dauphin East (PA) - 3:18.27
Cathedarl (CA) - 3:19.02
St. Georges (MD) - 3:19.52
East Orange (NJ) - 3:19.60
Munro College (JAM) - 3:19.71
Columbia (NJ) - 3:20.24
Northern Valley Old Tappan (NJ) - 3:20.36


TC Williams fired up after running faster than all the Jamaican teams in the 4x400m qualifying heats

Event 437: The first team to break 3:18 was Excelsior (JAM) with its legs running very consistent as all four guys ranged from 48.71-49.68.

Event 439: Two heats later, the potential favorite to win, Kingston College (JAM) ran the fastest time so far with its 3:15.86. The scary thing for the rest of the COA Final qualifying teams is that Kingston College did not race its sub 45 400m star, Akeem Bloomfield. Anticipate to see him in the final.

Event 440: The next heat boasted St. Jago (JAM), the reigning champs in this event who most thought would be a shoo-in for the finals. St. Jago's lead off leg Sean Baily got caught up in some traffic and although he didn't fall, he took multiple steps on the inside of the rail and was completely thrown off (reminiscent of Grant Fisher at New Balance Nationals Indoor) results in a painfully slow 53.10 opening leg. Despite Martin Manley's 2nd leg split of 46.82 and St. Jago still getting the win, they were the first team out of qualifying for the COA Final.

Event 441: Right after the intense drama, the following heat provided the fastest three 4x400m teams of the day, headlined by the Lyles brothers and TC Williams (VA). After the first leg, TC Williams was towards the back of the pack, but Noah Lyles was able to run the fastest split of the event (45.60) and move from 6th to 1st. After falling back on the third leg to 3rd place, 400m NB Outdoor National Champ Josephus Lyles split 45.71 to stop the clock a 3:12.17 and silence the Jamaican onlookers. St. Elizabeth, JAM in 2nd (3:13.46), Jamaica College in 3rd (3:13.98).

Event 442: The next two teams to qualify for the COA Final were Jamaican squads Calabar (3:15.46) and Petersfield (3:17.19).

At this point, St. Jago ran the 8th fastest 4x400m and only eight teams qualify for the final. But as mentioned earlier, Cheltenham was able to dominate its Suburban American 4x400m Division, a Pennsylvania league heat, in 3:15.86 thus kicking out St. Jago from qualifying and snagging a spot to the final. Watch Cheltenham win in Event 450.

More Saturday Event Highlights from Penn Relays