One of the most historic track and field competitions on the global secondary school calendar, the Penn Relays, will welcome a new delegation of young sprint talent from Grenada Boys’ Secondary School (GBSS) this April, when four local athletes take on two of the meet’s most prestigious relay events.
Nathaniel Alfred, Josh Thomas, Kashay Stephen and Karmal Joseph have been selected to represent their institution at the 2026 edition of the event, which draws elite high school and college competitors from across the Caribbean, North America and far beyond. The quartet will contest the 4×100-meter relay on Friday, April 24, followed by the 4×400-meter relay the next morning at 8:45 a.m. local time.
Joining the team on their trip are GBSS Principal Kenny James and lead coaches Lee Cuffie and Nicholas Benjamin, who will manage all on-site preparations and competition logistics for the young athletes throughout the event.
In comments ahead of the competition, Principal James shared that expectations for the team are high, rooted in both the school’s longstanding legacy of participation at the meet and the unique opportunity it offers the athletes to test their skills against top international competition. “I expect the boys to go out there and represent the only way we know how — with the pride and joy of representing our alma mater, the GBSS,” James said. “At the end of the day, two things remain true: Non Palma Sine Labore — no reward without labour — and iron sharpens iron. Our young men of steel will be better for having competed at this level.”
James also extended public gratitude to the team’s official sponsor NAGICO and the GBSS Alumni International Foundation, noting that their ongoing financial and organizational support was critical to making the school’s participation at this year’s event possible.
All four core relay athletes carry valuable high-level regional competition experience into the Penn Relays, having just represented Team Grenada at the recently concluded CARIFTA Games. GBSS officials say that recent high-stakes exposure has helped the athletes refine their form and build confidence ahead of the more competitive Penn Relays field.
The team does have one notable adjustment to its roster: 400-meter standout Qwannel Pierre has been named a reserve for the delegation, but will not compete in the 4×400-meter relay. Team management made the decision to hold Pierre out of competition to prioritize his ongoing recovery from an injury he sustained during the 2026 InterCol Games.
This year’s entry marks another chapter in GBSS’ decades-long history of participation at the Penn Relays, an event widely recognized as a key launching pad for emerging sprint talent to catch the eye of collegiate and professional scouts. For Grenada’s rising athletic stars, the meet offers a rare chance to showcase their homegrown skill on a prominent international stage.