The 129th edition of the Penn Relays, the world’s oldest and most prestigious relay carnival, is set to kick off this Thursday at the Franklin Field Stadium in Philadelphia. A host of Jamaica’s top high school track and field teams, headlined by the reigning ISSA Boys and Girls Championship winners Kingston College and Hydel, will be on full display as they go head-to-head with the world’s best.

The three-day event, known as the oldest relay carnival in the world, is expected to attract over 17,000 athletes and 100,000 fans from around the globe. Among them will be 600 athletes and officials from Jamaica, along with an additional 100 Jamaican athletes who are currently attending schools in the New York area.

Joining Kingston College and Hydel at the Penn Relays will be a strong contingent from other Jamaican schools, including Calabar, Jamaica College, St. Jago, Holmwood, Excelsior, William Knibb and Edwin Allen.

The action begins with the heats of the Boys 4×800 meter relay, where the record-holding and favorites, Calabar, will be the first Jamaican team in action. Featuring Alejandro Palmer, Kevaughn Richards, Justin Webb, and Dujhaunti Lewis, Calabar will look to dominate the relay event. They will be followed by teams from Edwin Allen, Holmwood, and William Knibb.