They are referring to the
presence in the United States of a continent of eight athletes, who are there
to participate in Penn Relays, a renowned annual track and field event
that features emerging and established talent drawn from clubs, colleges and
secondary schools in the US, as well as from foreign nations.
The GBSS efforts at fielding a
team were publicly endorsed by former national 100-metre record-holder, Dr Sean
Lambert, and Olympic and World Championship gold medallist Dr Kirani James,
both ex-GBSS students. “It’s always important for our young athletes to get
that experience and that exposure early; so that way, they could be motivated,”
James said in the video message to the GBSS
Alumni International Foundation (AIF), which spearheaded a fundraising
campaign in support of the athletic team. “I think it’s going to be exciting
for the boys; it’s going to be exciting for everybody; I’m excited for them.”
Among the eight GBSS students
competing in the meet at Franklin Field in Philadelphia is 13-year-old Kashay
Stephen, who, at last week’s secondary schools’ InterCol games, broke James’s
200 metre record for sub-junior boys. Stephen’s Penn Relay teammates are Josh
Thomas, Jaylon St Louis, Jaiden Pierre, Nathan Hillaire, Antwoin Alleyne,
Nathaniel Alfred and Rishon Daniel.
Some other top GBSS Intercol
athletes, such as Ethan Sam, Timothy Greenidge, Emilio Blanco Bishop, Qwanell
Pierre, Kemron Mathlyn and Karmal Joseph, are headed to the CARIFTA Games in
Trinidad. So, too, is Lee Cuffie, a GBSS coach at Intercol.
In preparation for travel to the
United States for the Penn Relays, several Grenadians in the US, including
members of the GBSS AIF, have made logistical arrangements for the team, such
as accommodation and transportation to the training facility.
A key facilitator is also Kent
Simon, a Grenadian with a long history of involvement in the Penn Relays. The
team’s first showing is in a preliminary 4 x 400 metre in the afternoon of
Thursday, April 24.
“At the end of the day, they are
all representing Grenada, and they are all trying to make us proud,’’ said
superstar James, Grenada’s most decorated athlete, who was knighted last year.
“If they can go out there and perform to the best of their ability, they’re
going to make us proud, and we are going to be excited and happy and inspired
by them.”
Qualification in the preliminary
will put GBSS into the 4 x 400 metre final of the competition, which also
includes 4 x 100 metre, 4 x 200 metre and 4 x 800 metre races.
Team GBSS is accompanied by
school principal Kenny James and teacher Vaughn Joseph, who is serving as
coach. In a word of gratitude for the team’s participation at the Penn Relays,
the school expressed “big thanks to our ever-supportive alumni group, AIF, for
fully funding the trip and accommodation, making this dream a reality.”
The Penn Relays culminate on April
26. It’s the third time a GBSS team has competed at the Philadelphia track and
field event.
