Cougars Clean Up In Sprint Relays at Penn; Calabar Breaks H.S. Wins Record; USA Wins Three Of Six Against World

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

PHILADELPHIA – Even if some of the other collegiate sprint powers have turned their attention elsewhere, the University of Houston’s commitment to Penn Relays remains steadfast.

PHOTOS | VIDEOS | RESULTS

The Cougars, coached by former Penn Relays champions Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis, won Championship of America titles – and Penn wheels – in the men’s 4x100, men’s 4x200, men’s 4x400 and the women’s 4x100 relays.

Mario Burke was part of all three sprint relay wins for the Houston men and also won the 100-meter dash in 10.20 seconds. Naomi Taylor added a title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles (13.26).

“Where else are you going to get the kind of experience you get here?” Burrell asked. “I know that there are difficulties with the meet. Warm-up and issues trying to get in and out of the stadium. But where else are you going to get 40,000 people who are really track fans, and national television live? I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to come here and compete.”

Saturday’s session at Franklin Field brought about the largest annual track crowd for a track and field meet in the world and windy conditions that persisted all day.

The Jamaican high school athletes continued to dazzle.

Calabar’s boys added victories in the 4x800 and 4x400 to become the most successful high school program in Penn Relays history. The school collected Penn wheels Nos. 21 and 22, breaking a tie with Bishop Loughlin of New York.  

Calabar ran 7:36.01 to win the 4x800. St. Benedict’s Prep of New Jersey was the top U.S. finisher, taking third in 7:41.13.

In the meet’s finale, the boys 4x400, in 3:12.66. That victory, and Kingston College’s second-place 3:13.65, knocked the U.S. hopefuls from Bullis MD back to third (3:14.40). Bullis sent a buzz through the crowd earlier in the day when it posted the fastest time of the heats, 3:13.80.

“No excuses. We’ll go back home and work on getting better,” Bullis coach Joe Lee said.

Wisconsin, which waited 103 years to win a Penn Relays wheel, got a second one less than 24 hours later when Morgan McDonald capped off a victory in the 4xMile Relay. McDonald outkicked Indiana’s Ben Veatch on the homestretch and ducked to the tape with a .04 second margin of victory. The Badgers clocked 16:39.82.

Indiana, which finished second in five relays over the weekend (and two close calls by the men Saturday), broke through with a victory in the women’s 4x800.

“Not one of those girls broke 2:13 in high school,” Indiana coach Ron Helmer said. “They’ve worked, they’ve worked, they’ve worked. The mental part, to get to where you feel you belong in this environment, and can win in this environment, I think that’s the biggest thing that’s going to propel this team forward.”

Kelsey Harris gutted out a 2:05.18 leg on the anchor, in the wind, and held off Virginia Tech’s Rachel Pocratsky to get the win. It was the first for the Hoosier women at Penn Relays.

Georgetown’s men won the 4x800 relay, anchored by Joe White, in an unusually slow time of 7:25.18. Georgetown’s Ruach Padhal ran the only sub-1:50 leg in the entire race as the winds played havoc on the backstretch. The Hoyas won the Sprint Medley Relay on Friday.

The South Carolina women won the 4x400 relay title with 3:32.13. Wadeline Jonathas ran 52.14 to anchor the win and prevent Penn from winning a second title this weekend.

Off the track Saturday, the steady winds were working for Greg Thompson of Maryland, who uncorked a personal best and meet-record throw of 215-1 to win the college men’s discus.

The fan-favorite USA vs The World competition featured six races and three wins for the United States.

Jamaican icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce helped the green and gold win the women’s 4x100 relay in 43.19. The remaining teams ran slower than Edwin Allen’s high school victory Friday.

The Jamaican women also dominated the 4x400, putting two teams across the finish line before Canada and the U.S. squads.

Michael Cherry ran an electric 44.3 split to help the USA Red team win the 4x400 relay in 3:02.70.

Michael Rodgers anchored the U.S. Red team to a 4x100 victory in 38.80.

Raevyn Rogers anchored the USA to a sprint medley relay win for the second straight year.

Kenya broke through with a victory in the men’s sprint medley, thanks to Collin Kipruto’s 1:47.16 split in the 800. Kenya beat the USA Red team, 3:16.21 to 3:17.49.