70 years after Jamaica’s world record victory in the men’s 4×400 metres at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, the Gibson McCook Relays will see pitched battles in three of the four 4×400 relay finals on February 26 inside the National Stadium.

Edwin Allen High School is undefeated in two starts and set the fastest girls’ time at 3 minutes 42.46 seconds during the Western Relays on February 12. However, St Jago High School will provide stiff competition. St Jago did 3.46.53 at the Camperdown Classic without running at full speed.

Holmwood won the last Gibson McCook encounter in 3 minutes 37.16 seconds.

Excelsior High School leads the boys’ performance list with its Western Relays winner – 3 minutes 12.02 seconds, with JC close on 3.12.08 from last Saturday’s JC Development meet at the Stadium.

Kingston College clocked 3.12.70 in pursuit of Excelsior at the Western Relays. The Purples were first across the line at the 2020 Gibson McCook Relays, clocking 3.09.70.

The Western Relays saw a pitched 4×400 battle between Sprintec Track Club and GC Foster College, with the collegians beating the professionals in 3 minutes 09.06 seconds. 2-time World 400 metre finalist Demish Gaye clocked 45.8 on the second leg for Sprintec in vain. The GC Foster quartet included Zandrian Barnes who clocked a personal best of 45.99 seconds in the following week.

In 2020, Gaye zoomed his anchor to give Sprintec the edge in 3 minutes 05.17 seconds.

By contrast, the women’s 4×400 metres could well be a Sprintec runaway. At the Western Relays, Tovea Jenkins, Ashley Williams, Tiffany James-Rose and Yanique McNeil of Sprintec disappeared from their opponents in 3 minutes 34.54 seconds, faster than the club’s winning time at Gibson McCook two years ago.

Due to COVID-19 strictures, the event will feature only finals.