Team USA rebounds from early loss with WR, five wins

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor 

PHILADELPHIA -- The boisterous Jamaican crowd roared to life with a victory in the first of the USA vs. The World sprint relays Saturday at the Penn Relays.

A women’s team comprised of Gayon Evans, Kerron Stewart, Schillone Calvert-Powell and Jura Levy nosed out the U.S. Red team for first place in the 4x100 relay, 43.14 to 43.18.

Twelve minutes later, that momentum came to a stop.

Justin Gatlin, running on the second leg for the U.S. in the men’s 4x100, thrust the baton into the waiting hand of Tevin Hester and then pointed his finger forward. The message was sent: We’re in front, there’s nothing but daylight ahead. Go get it.

“I’ve been to Penn Relays so many times and it never fails,” Gatlin said. “It’s electricity.”

Team USA won the men’s 4x100 and four more races to go 5-for-6 against the rival Jamaicans.

And three members of the U.S. women’s team that lost – Aaliyah Brown, Kimberlyn Duncan and Destinee Brown – came back for revenge and ran to a new world record in the sprint medley relay (100-100-200-400) with first-year pro Raevyn Rogers on the anchor. The team ran 1:35.20 to lower the mark of 1:35.59 set last year by fellow Americans English Gardner, Morolake Akinosun, Dezearea Bryant and Miki Barber.

“After barely losing to Jamaica in the 4x1, there was a lot of emotion like ‘We almost had it!’”
 Destinee Brown said. “When is the next race? How much time do we have until the SMR? So for me it was about getting pumped and motivated after the 4x1 was so close, and obviously losing to Jamaica.”

Rogers, who split 50.48 for the U.S., has been part of two relay world records this year. In the winter she was part of a record-setting indoor 4x800.

Rogers offered a fresh perspective on wearing the U.S. uniform in front of a stadium packed with sections covered in green and gold.

“Just the fans themselves are really intimidating, so I get really happy when I’m in that setting because it’s like OK, now we have something to prove,” Rogers said. “All you fans here, even though you’re on U.S. ground, they still make it seem like it’s their territory. In a sense, we’re trying to earn our territory back a little bit, and let them know, you’re in the U.S.”

In the men’s sprint medley (200-200-400-800), Jesse Garn anchored Team USA to a comfortable win in 3:14.91. Canada was second, more than four seconds back.

A USA squad of Marqueze Washington, Michael Cherry, Marcus Chambers and Mike Berry won the men’s 4x400 relay in 3:01.31. Chambers split 44.84 to open a gap for the U.S. The Bahamas was second in 3:02.54. Jamaica was third.

The U.S. women – Jaide Stepter, Jasmine Blocker, Kendra Chambers and Daina Harper – won the women’s 4x400 in 3:26.73. Jamaica was two seconds back.

Johnny Gregorek of HOKA NJNYTC won the Olympic Development mile in an impressive time of 3:54.94. The occasion marked the 40th anniversary of his father's high school victory with St. Anthony's NY back in 1978.

In the women's Olympic Development mile, Juventus TC teammates Charlene Lipsey (4:31.19) and Ajee Wilson (4:35.29) went 1-3 racing up to a longer distance than usual. Danielle Aragon was second in 4:34.75.