Friday Field Event Round-Up
We had a huge record in the high school boys discus championship from Calabar’s Travis Smikle. There’s plenty of other field event action today. Here are the championship winners (this list will be updated throughout the day): • Melissa Ogbourne of LSU won the college women’s triple jump championship with a wind-aided hop, step and [...]
Calabar’s Travis Smikle Smashes Discus Record
Travis Smikle of Calabar (Jamaica) annihilated the meet record in the high school boys discus championship this morning with a toss of 228′ 2″ (69.55 meters). The old record was 191-11 (58.50), set last year by Chad Wright, also of Calabar. Only two American schoolboys have ever thrown the high school implement farther. Smikle’s impressive [...]
High School Individual Female Athlete of the Meet
Haley Pierce (#2) was our individual high school female athlete of the meet, having won the 3000 meters last night in 9:16.35. This was the 2nd fastest all time, only 2nd to Olympian Cathy Schiro O’Brien.
High School Girls Go the Distance
The high school girls distance races provided a series of fast-paced thrills. For the second year in a row, we had a Penn Relays record in the girls distance medley relay. In an upstate/downstate New York battle, Fayetteville-Manlius held on against a late charge from North Shore to win in 11:34.46. That eclipses the 11:38.69 [...]
Georgetown Surprise ? – College Women’s DMR Championship
Emily Infeld brings it home for the Hoyas (Photo Kim Spir) As is custom for our schedule, the first championship of the meet is the College Women’s DMR. The race started approximately 100 minutes late due to the thunderstorm delay, but by race time winds were calm and temps were ideal with perhaps a slightly [...]
Thursday Field Event Round-Up
There’s plenty of field event action today. • Lauren Kenney of State College (Pa.) set a new Penn Relays record in the girls high school javelin championship, throwing 156′ 2″ (47.62 meters). The previous record — 154′ 3″ (47.02) was set in 2004 by Rudy Radocaj (Williamsport, Pa.). • Emma Ruggiero of Princeton won the [...]
The Edwin Allen Show
The meet is still young, and we’ve already had a long rain delay, but it’s turning out to be a big day for Edwin Allen High School. This morning, Ristananna Tracey shattered the Carnival record for the high school girls 400-meter hurdles with a stunning 56.17 run. The old mark also belonged to an Edwin [...]
And We’re Off…
The 117th Penn Relays are underway. The weather forecast is ominous, with rain predicted, but the morning began with sunshine and a breezy 74 degrees. The first event on the track: the college women’s 400-meter hurdles, won by Leslie Njoku of Georgia Tech in 58.11. That was followed by a stunning record in the high [...]
Goodnight . . . . The Hall
Thanks for visiting our blog during this 3 day meet. We had record attendance, record enthusiasm, and some great races. I hope that you enjoyed our coverage, combined with the live feed from flotrack. If you are in the area next year, we would love to see you at historic Franklin Field in person. I [...]
College Men’s 4×400 Championship
After dropping the baton at the final exchange, Texas A&M’s Tabarie Henry made a valiant effort to close the gap, splitting 46.06 and and nearly pulling off an epic comeback. Alas, he ran out of track and Mississippi State held on for the win, 3:04.92–3:05.04. Results can be found here.
College Women’s 4×400 Championship
UTech wins for the second year in a row, with a 3:31.54–3:32.34 victory over Oregon. Stephenie McPherson’s 51.06 anchor leg was decisive. Texas A&M (3:32.86) and Penn State (3:33.06) were third and fourth. Fawn Dorr ran a fantastic third leg in 52.05 for Penn State to give the Nittany Lions the lead at the final [...]
High School Boys 4×400 Championship
Always one of our loudest and most popular races is the high school 4×400 championship. This year’s edition had arguably the fastest group of seeds of any 4×400 we have ever had – 3:16 didn’t even make the final ! Additionally, we had Cheltenham PA, a local team that ran 3:13 in the trials, qualify [...]
USA vs The World Women’s 4×400
Debbie Dunn opened up a big lead for USA Blue on the first leg, which Lashinda Demus maintained, despite a challenge from Jamaica’s Novlene Williams. Same thing on the third leg: Dee Dee Trotter (USA Blue) held off Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica). USA Blue’s Allyson Felix wrapped things up easily on the anchor 3:26.12. (Note: Sanya [...]
USA vs The World Men’s 4×400
USA Red took the early lead, thanks to LeJerald Betters and Xavier Carter, but Andre Williams ran a killer second leg for the Bahamas to hand off in first. On the third leg Jamaica’s Lancford DAvis briefly took the front—to thunderous applause from the crowd—before Bershawn Jackson brought USA Blue to the lead. Angelo Taylor [...]
College Men’s 4×800 Championship
Virginia wins its first Penn Relays men’s Championship of America since 1943 with a 7:15.38 clocking. On the opening leg, Owen Dawson handed off first for Penn State with everyone still in contention. Casimir Loxsom kept the Nittany Lions in the lead on the second leg, thanks to the day’s fastest split, 1:46.58. Lance Roller [...]
High School Boys 4×800 Championship
We have had a great race in the HSB 4×800. After the first two legs, it was Warwick Valley (NY), Long Beach Poly (CA), and Kingston College (JA) in a great three team race. Warwick Valley made a solid move before the last handoff, taking a small lead on Poly. At the bell, Warwick Valley [...]
54,310!
The biggest crowd in the 116-year history of the Penn Relays packed into Franklin Field today and when the counting was done, 54,310 fans were on hand, nearly 3,500 more than the previous mark set in 2002. The Relays also drew 117,346 fans over three days, also more than 3,000 better than ever before. The [...]
Saturday Field Event Highlights
It’s been another busy day for jumpers and throwers. Here are the championship-division winners: Olympic Development Men • Jacob Freeman (NYAC) won the hammer throw with a 229′ 11″ (70.08) toss. That’s his second straight win in the event, and he also won the college division twice (2001, 2002) for Manhattan College. Results. Olympic Development [...]
Straightaway Finals
College Women’s 100-meter hurdles: Queen Harrison (Virginia Tech) takes the lead at the third hurdle and goes on to win in 12.61 a new Penn Relays record (wind: +1.1). Results. Olympic Development women’s 100-meter hurdles: Former Michigan star Tiffany Ofili wins in 13.06 (wind: +0.3). Results. College men’s 110-meter hurdles: Barrett Nugent (LSUO wins in [...]
USA-vs-The World Men’s Distance Medley
Perhaps overshadowed by the events in the 4×100, the USA-vs-The-World Distance Medley has a fantastic slate. This event produced the World Best and the American record in the 2006 edition. Both Kenya and Morocco have outstanding fields in this race, including Amine Laalou. Our 1200 leg was in 2:52, with Kenya with a slight lead. [...]
USA vs The World Men’s 4×100
Usain Bolt did not disappoint the heavily Jamaican crowd, blistering the anchor leg on the 4×100 to give Jamaica Gold the victory in 37.90. FinishLynx timed Bolt’s split at 8.79! USA Blue (38.33) and USA Red (38.50) finished second and third. Full results can be found here.
USA vs The World Women’s 4×100
Team USA wins for the sixth straight year. Lisa Barber, Allyson Felix, Mikele Barber, Carmelita Jeter get the stick around in 42.74 for “USA Blue.” Jeter held off a strong charge from Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, who brought the Jamaicans home second in 42.94. Full results can be found here.
College 4×200 Championships
Our next set of championships is the college 4×200, always an interesting event because of the four (!) turn stagger. On the women’s side, Texas A&M set a new collegiate record in 1:29.42 ! Tavaris Tate ran an excellent final 200 leg, just holding off Florida’s Calvin Smith on the men’s side in 1:21.49. Results [...]