Randy Lee steers DC High to relay c/ships title
Stabroek News
May 7, 2004
Guyana's Randy Lee steered Carroll All-Met High School, USA, to a national-best time and their first championship title of America, in the 4X800-metre relay of the USA's Penn Relays which were held on April 24 and 25.
According to a Washington Post article, Lee put on an amazing display to steal the show with a blazing come-from-behind anchor leg against Holmwood Tech and St. Jago.
Lee, `The Lions' sophomore sensation, grabbed the lead in the final 60 metres of the race to lead the DC private school to its first Championship of America," the Washington Post said.
The Lions clocked a national-best time of seven minutes 44.42 seconds (7:44.2), more than four seconds better than the school record and three 100ths of a second better than second-placed Holmwood.
The article said that immediately afterwards, Lee met senior team mates Oneil Barnaby, Berkeley Wright and Luis Garcia in an emotional embrace and began a victory lap while many in the crowd of 49,441 chanted, "USA!."
As the large Jamaican crowd at the Penn Relays waved green, black and yellow flags for the two Jamaican teams in the event on April 24, Lee blazed his way to the front and crossed the finish line first.
"I saw all those Jamaican flags, and I thought, this can't happen," Lee is quoted to have said. "I did whatever I could."
According to the article, Carroll's exciting win was the local highlight on the final day of the Penn Relays, where more than 100 DC area teams competed over three days.
Carroll's thrilling victory continued an amazing season for the Lions' 4x800 foursome, who ran a time of 8:24 in their first meet together. On April 24, the team's plan worked to perfection - keep it close so Lee can work his magic.
Third leg Luis Garcia ran a 1:59 split, one second better than on Friday, before handing off to Lee who ran a split of 1:51.5, four seconds better than in the preliminaries and tied for 15th best in the relays' history.
While the two other anchors, Holmwood's Davian Parker and St. Jago's Shaneil Dixon, appeared to be in a battle by themselves, Lee lurked behind them, gradually gaining ground.
Finally, in the last 200 metres, Lee met the other two runners and then out-dueled Parker for the win on the straightaway.
"He hates to lose," Carroll's 18-year coach Mark Landry said. "I
told the guys that if they keep it close, Randy's going to win this."