Penwood High girls savour historic Penn Relays debut

Penwood High School head coach Darrol Gardener says his sprinters are still absorbing the magnitude of last weekend's outing at the Penn Relays, the first time the Kingston institution has fielded a team at the storied Philadelphia meet.

The girls' quartet placed seventh in the international 4x100m relay final at Franklin Field, but Gardener insists the exposure dwarfed the placing, particularly for athletes who had never travelled overseas.

"It was really a great experience for them because I just wanted the ladies to get the exposure, especially to perform at an international level in the United States, where you have a lot of teams going for the top prize, which is to make the final and, of course, securing a medal," Gardener said.

He noted the team had set a clear objective before flying out. "I am happy that we got into the international final. We didn't win a medal as we finished in seventh place, but they were very happy because we set ourselves a target going into the Penn Relays, which was to get into a final, and we accomplished that goal," he said.

"We didn't get a medal, but I know how that goes, because you are not going to get a medal the first time; and so, what doesn't happen now will have happened another time."

According to Gardener, the Penwood name drew curiosity from rival camps and onlookers throughout the championships. "This is a huge international experience for our girls because when we were there, a lot of coaches and other people came over to us and said that they have heard about Penwood High School, and they are not getting a lot of attention; and so I am just encouraging the girls to remain humble," he shared.

"This will encourage them to do better and to understand that track is a sport that not only gives you recognition, but the more you perform and do well, something will be there for you in the long run, including scholarships."

The coach underscored what the trip means for a school rooted in the inner-city community of Olympic Gardens in Kingston. "This is a huge accomplishment for these ladies, especially from the area that Penwood High School is. A lot don't normally get this opportunity to participate in the Penn Relays, and so I know that the community is very proud of them."

Gardener also thanked The Mico University College for opening its facilities to the team during the build-up. "We also want to big up The Mico University because they have given us their training facility to train on; and so I want to say a big 'thank you' to their head of sports, Fabian Miller. He has been an inspiration to the girls, as he motivates them a lot, and we are grateful to him for that."