On Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, Medgar Evers College Preparatory High School’s 4x400m relay quartet -- all with Caribbean roots -- arrived at New York’s Madison Square Gardens brimming with confidence to compete in the 103rd annual Millrose Games. 

4x4 Lady Cougars: From left are Nyanka Moise Joseph, (St. Lucia); Shekelle Seaton, (T&T); Kimberly Campbell, (Jamaica); and Camille Edwards, (T&T). Rachel Leeke, (T&T ) is in front (with hands on Knees) .

The squad of Nyanka Moise-Joseph (St. Lucia), Kadecia Baird (Guyana), and Rachel Leeke and Shakelle Seaton (Trinidad & Tobago)  were tipped as one of two favorites to win the New York City Public School Athletic League (PSAL) High School 4x400m crown, especially after running an impressive 3:52.17 the week before at the New Balance Games at the Armory in New York.

The Garden was buzzing with excitement and came even more alive when the athletes and their schools were introduced for the PSAL 4x400m relay. Minutes later as the race progressed, the spirited fans of Medgar Evers Prep chanted in unison: MEDDDDGAR, MEDDDDGAR, MEDDDDGAR. As if inspired by the chants, the team, nicknamed the “Lady Cougars”, responded with a 3:53.21 run -- just nipped at the line by archrivals Benjamin Cardozo (3:53.19) – a mere 400th of a second off the 3:53.17 meet record set in 2008 by Boys & Girls High School in Brooklyn, New York.

Coaches Nicola Martial (Guyanese by birth) and Shaun Dietz, who, like Usain Bolt, was born in Trelawny, Jamaica talked about how proud they were of their athletes’ achievements and performances both on and off the track and field.

Speaking on behalf of the coaching staff, Dietz identified Rachel Leeke as one example of excellence, whom he said ran a personal best of 39.31 secs in the 300m this season and in the process set a new school record for that event. She’s the only senior on the track team. However, Rachel’s excellence is not just on the track but is also evident in the classroom, where she has a 90+% average.  She was recently accepted by Rutgers University, where she wants to pursue a degree in Pharmacology and, of course, continue her track & field career.

The goals for the Lady Cougars, Dietz said, is to build a formidable track & field team where these young ladies can showcase their talents and be a competitive force to be reckoned with, whether in individual events or as a part of a relay team.

Another point of satisfaction is that the team is comprised of girls who have been at the school since they came in as freshmen with little exposure to track & field. However, through the support of the school’s Athletic Department, under the direction of Keisha Lewis, they have been molded into who there are today as scholar-athletes.

Dietz then pointed to the depth and talent of the pool of athletes. Kadecia Baird, for example, is only a freshman and has a personal best of 7:46 secs in the 55m sprint and 39.67 in the 300m. Then there are juniors Shakele Seaton, who also runs the 200m & 600m and Nyanka Moise-Joseph, a talented sprinter and middle-distance runner.

Kimberly Campbell

Freshman, Kimberly Campbell (Jamaica) is another athlete who has been showing great potential.  She was a part of the historic 4x200m relay team that clocked 1:40.41 (a US #1 clocking at the time of writing) at the Jan. 9, 2010 Hispanic Games at the Armory.

Other athletes to watch are junior Camille Edwards (Trinidad) in the long jump and sprints; freshman Odessa Fernandes (Guyana), 800m; and freshman Paige Thompson Charles (Grenada) 55m & 400m.

And the Lady Cougars are not only showcasing their talents on the track; they are also making their mark in field events.

Jumper Shnell Wishart. All Photos by Anthony Gayle.

Shnell Wishart, a 6’-2” senior of Jamaican background, who has been at Medgar Evers since her junior year, is the latest Medgar Evers sensation in the lateral jumps. 

On Jan. 9, 2010, Shnell jumped her way into the Hispanic Games triple jump record book with a 39’-10.5” distance. Two weeks later, on January 23, she leaped 18’-1¾’ in the long jump at the New Balance meet. Shnell aims to clear 19 feet before the end of the season.
 
This young lady, who has an 89% average in Mathematics, the same as her overall academic average, wants to become an Actuary and is presently mulling over offers from several universities and colleges.

The achievements of both Rachel and Shnell in the classroom as well as in the sport are in sync with one of Medgar Evers’ mantras that tells the world how much the institution is “DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE”, as well as its goal that reads in part: “to provide students with enriched opportunities that will encourage them to pursue careers in science, mathematics…to be prepared to face the ever evolving challenges of the 21st century.”