Bullis School out of Maryland in the US with their ace runner Quincy Wilson, a 17-yr-old Paris Olympic relay gold medalist on anchor, went to the Penn Relays to break Jamaica’s dominance in the 4x400m High School Boys Championship of America race Friday afternoon (25). The Jamaican high schools, particularly Kingston College (KC) simply came to win.
KC is celebrating 100 years of existence, and the Penn Relays defending champions, who also won at the recent Jamaica Boys and Girls Championships (Champs) in Kingston, went to Penn as an underdog of sorts among Americans because Bullis’ Wilson was sure to anchor victoriously no matter how far behind their rivals they were at the final exchange.
They were the fastest qualifier going into the final after clocking 3:11.04 to win their heat ahead of Jamaica’s Excelsior, second in 3:12.52. Compatriots Calabar won their heat in 3:11.58, making them the third-fastest qualifier.
KC (3:13.22), St. Elizabeth Technical (3:12.76), Jamaica College (JC) (3:14.96), and Holmwood Technical (3:15.82) were the other Jamaican teams advancing to the final.
The Jamaican schools knew who they were up against because they already had competed against one another at home, but perhaps Bullis was not fully aware of how strong all around the Jamaican teams were, despite all their squad members might not have been running at full strength but could rise to the challenge with heart and determination.
In his signature lean and smooth, relaxed strides, KC’s Marcinho Rose took control of the race from Calabar on the final leg and never relinquished to Bullis’ charging Wilson, who went from fifth place to pass Excelsior and Calabar in the home straight and tried desperately to catch rose.
Smooth and Unruffled
Unbothered, Rose kept him at bay to win decisively, stopping the clock at 3:05.93. Penn Relays 2025 was their fourth Penn victory, again beating back the challenge from Bullis who registered 3:06.31 for second. The crowd was sent into a frenzy. Calabar (3:06.52) came in third, Excelsior was fourth in 3:07.98, and JC fifth in 3:06.31.
And as Rose, the Jamaican Champs 400m silver medalist, crossed the finish line using his index finger to say we are number one and then four fingers to underscore that this was their fourth straight victory in the event, the American commentators quickly turned to their focus to Wilson’s 43.99 split as if he had won.
Bullis, who has been trying to break Jamaica’s dominance in this event, will lose Wilson this year, his last for the school. The word is that he has signed with Florida State University for the Fall.