Philadelphia, April 26-28—The USA vs. The World races that have in recent years highlighted the pro slate at the Penn Relays were somewhat lacking in star power this year, but the intense U.S.-Jamaica rivalry entertained the crowd of 47,756, which cared more about the uniforms than who was wearing them.
A few big-name veterans were on hand, most notably world 100 champ Justin Gatlin, but the rosters were dominated by a younger generation hoping to build their résumés.
Though many Jamaicans were coming off the Commonwealth Games, they couldn’t quite capitalize on that early-season form, and won just 1 of the 6 events in the series. That was the opening women’s 4×1, where shaky second handoffs plagued both teams. Jura Levy got the baton slightly ahead of American Kyra Jefferson for the anchor and held on for an 0.04 victory in 43.14.
The men’s 1-lapper was far less competitive, thanks to 36-year-old Gatlin’s storming second-leg backstretch. Pointing skyward as he handed off, he gave the USA Red team a sizable lead, which they held to the tape for a 38.39–38.72 win over their USA Blue teammates, while Jamaica (39.17) was never in contention.
“Even when it’s not a championship year, this stadium always has that electricity,” Gatlin said. He marveled at the poise shown by his younger teammates (Lashon Collins, Tevin Hester and Justin Walker) in that atmosphere. “Those guys went out and handled their business like true Americans should on a relay.”
The women’s 800 medley (the rarely run combination of 100, 100, 200 and 400 legs), returned to the lineup for the second year in a row, and once again yielded a world best.
Destinee Brown, Aaliyah Brown & Kimberlyn Duncan—all doubling back from the 4×1—gave Raevyn Rogers a 10m advantage. The former Oregon star blasted her lap in 50.48 to stop the clock in 1:35.20, ahead of the 1:35.59 that another American team set a year ago.
“The [Jamaican] fans are really intimidating,” Rogers admitted of the vocal majority, who dominated the stands with their black, green and gold colors. “They make it seem like it’s their territory, and in a sense we’re trying to earn it back.”
The men’s medley was over the more traditional 200/200/400/800 distance and followed a similar script, with anchor leg Jesse Garn (1:47.42) handed a big lead and pushing hard to the finish in 3:14.91. Jamaica was nearly 3 seconds behind, but eventually DQed for a bad pass between the 200 legs.
In the men’s 4×4, Marcus Chambers blew the race open with a 44.84 carry on the third leg, allowing Mike Berry to cruise home on the anchor en route to a 3:01.31 clocking. The Bahamas’ Alonzo Russell (44.29) had the fastest split of the race to move his squad (3:02.54) ahead of Jamaica (3:03.12).
Finally, the women’s 4×4 featured a back-and-forth battle, Jamaica taking the lead early in the opening legs before strong finishes by the Americans to move in front. Daina Harper’s 51.38 anchor ended the conversation, capping a 3:26.73 finish for USA Red, nearly 2 seconds ahead of the islanders.
In individual competition, Johnny Gregorek had the top mark, winning the mile in 3:54.94 after a hard push behind the rabbit with 2 laps to go.
“This year I want to focus on having a lot of confidence, taking the lead early, and being in a good position,” the Columbia/Oregon alum said. “I want to be seen as someone who controls the race, and makes the race my own.”
Philadelphia, February 26-28—Thursday 59-67, sunny; Friday 54-59, rain in morning, overcast; Saturday 68-74, partly cloudy. Attendance 22,862/38,137/47,756—108,755
PENN INVITATIONAL MEN’S RESULTS
(4/26—St, 5000, 10,000)
100(1.1): 1. Burkheart Ellis (Exec) 10.30.
Mile: 1. Johnny Gregorek (Asics) 3:54.94 (out WL, AL);
2. Colby Alexander (HokaNJNY) 3:56.07; 3. Rob Napolitano (HokaNJNY) 3:59.80; 4. Travis Mahoney (HokaNJNY) 3:59.96; 5. Jacob Dumford (NDm) 4:00.00; 6. Chris Hatler (Dist) 4:00.54; 7. Andy Bayer (Nik) 4:00.65; 8. Charlie Marquardt (BrynMRC) 4:01.56; 9. ***Ben Veatch (In) 4:01.95.
St: 1. Travis Mahoney (HokaNJNY) 8:43.21; 2. Kent Pecora (unat) 8:56.89; 3. ***Gavin Gaynor (NCSt) 8:57.99; 4. Geoffry Cheruiyot’ (MTn) 9:00.39; 5. ***Ed Trippas (Prin) 9:00.54; 6. Paul Thistle (Pacers) 9:03.59; 7. **Perrin Hagge (Prin) 9:03.83; 8. *Kyle Barber (Ct) 9:04.20.
5000: 1. Kieran Tuntivate (unat) 13:58.77; 2. Louis Serafini (TSHare) 13:59.31; 3. **Alex Masai (Hof) 14:00.07;.
10,000: 1. **Ryan Kutch (Ford) 29:43.54 PR; 2. **Cameron Avery (SB) 29:44.84 PR; 3. Adam Craig (MtO) 29:50.13; 4. **Aaron Bienenfeld (Cinc) 29:52.13 PR.
110H(0.8): 1. Eddie Lovett’ (VI) 13.78.
400H: 1. Romel Lewis (Exec) 51.20.
5000W: 1. Anthony Peters (StAm) 21:10.48; 2. Emilio Mancha (StAm) 23:12.43.
USA vs. The World Relays
4 x 100: 1. USA Red 38.39 (Lashon Collins, Justin Gatlin, Tevin Hester, Justin Walker);
2. USA Blue 38.72 (Blake Smith, Bryce Robinson, Jeff Demps, Remantay McClain);
3. Jamaica 39.17 (Nesta Carter, Tyquendo Tracey, Oshane Bailey, Jevaughn Minzie).
4 x 400: 1. USA Red 3:01.31 (AL) (Marqueze Washington 46.4, Michael Cherry 44.5, Marcus Chambers 44.84, Mike Berry 45.57);
2. Bahamas 3:02.54 (Ramon Miller 46.5, Teray Smith 45.8, Michael Mathieu 45.96, Alonzo Russell 44.29);
3. Jamaica 3:03.12 (Peter Matthews 46.3, Demish Gaye 45.2, Jamari Rose 46.19, Jermaine Gayle 45.38);
4. USA Blue 3:04.87 (Brycen Spratling 46.8, Calvin Smith 45.0, Najee Glass 47.49, Kyle Collins 45.55);
5. Guyana 3:11.01; … dnf—Canada.
SpMed: 1. USA 3:14.91 (AL) (Cordero Gray, Bryce Robinson, Jevon Hutchinson 46.1, Jesse Garn 1:47.42);
2. Canada 3:19.03 (Tremaine Harris, Joshue Cunningham, Austin Cole 46.3, Mohano Khelaf 1:50.95); 3. Haiti 3:27.96; 4. Guyana 3:31.77;… dq—[2]Jamaica [3:17.74] (Everton Clarke, Martin Manley, Marzel Miller 45.7, Danielle Glave 1:49.41).
PENN INVITATIONAL WOMEN’S RESULTS
(4/26—St, 3000, 5000, 10,000)
Mile: 1. Charlene Lipsey (adi) 4:31.19 (out WL, AL);
2. Danielle Aragon (HokaNJNY) 4:34.75; 3. Ajee’ Wilson (adi) 4:35.29; 4. Angel Piccirillo (unat) 4:37.12; 5. Stephanie van Pelt (HokaNJNY) 4:38.12; 6. Rhianwedd Price-Weimer’ (MsSt) 4:50.71; 7. Kristin Andrews (Shore) 4:52.68; 8. *Allison Mueller (SC) 5:05.32.
3000: 1. *Margaret Allen (In) 9:16.20 PR; 2. Catarina Rocha (Prov) 9:19.72 PR; 3. ***Danielle Orie (Penn) 9:23.22 PR; 4. Abby Hong (Penn) 9:24.28 PR; 5. ***Gabrielle Orie (Corn) 9:25.52 PR; 6. **Abbey Wheeler (Prov) 9:26.00 PR; 7. Jackie Katzman (Corn) 9:27.48 PR; 8. Maria Scavuzzo (MiaO) 9:28.36 PR.
St: 1. Amy Cashin’ (WV) 9:59.40 PR; 2. **Paige Duca (BC) 10:09.55 PR; 3. Colett Rampf (StLeo) 10:10.28; 4. Rolanda Bell’ (Pan) 10:11.71 PR;
5. Kira Garry (CPTC) 10:18.88; 6. Julie Friend (CalPa) 10:19.12; 7. Ashley Laureano’ (PR) 10:24.54; 8. Paige Kouba (SaucF) 10:25.12.
5000: 1. Millie Paladino (unat) 16:08.15; 2. Annika Sisson (unat) 16:21.02; 3. **Kathryn Munks (PennSt) 16:23.15; 4. **Ryen Frazier (NCSt) 16:28.74; 5. *Bella Burda (Vill) 16:29.34.
10,000: 1. **Anna Rohrer (NDm) 33:25.24; 2. Taryn Cordani (Ithaca) 33:44.06 PR; 3. **Annie Heffernan (NDm) 33:48.25 PR; 4. Dylan Hassett (NED) 34:10.62 PR.
5000W: 1. Maria Michta-Coffey (OisWUSA) 21:48.09; 2. Anali Cisneros (Judson) 24:11.81; 3. Katharine Newhoff (WUSA) 25:10.95; 4. Meaghan Podlaski (RPI) 25:34.75; 5. Jenny Lopez (StAm) 25:53.80; 6. Katherine Miale (Marist) 25:56.81; 7. Nayeli Cisneros (Judson) 26:21.35.
USA vs. The World Relays
4 x 100: 1. Jamaica 43.14 (Gayon Evans, Kerron Stewart, Schillone Calvert-Powell, Jura Levy);
2. USA Red 43.18 (Aaliyah Brown, Kimberlyn Duncan, Destinee Brown, Kyra Jefferson);
3. USA Blue 43.71 (Destiny Carter, Tawanna Meadows, Asha Ruth, Candace Hill);
4. Guyana 46.40;… dnf—Trinidad.
4 x 400: 1. USA Red 3:26.73 (Jaide Stepter 51.1, Jasmine Blocker 51.1, Kendra Chambers 53.10, Daina Harper 51.38);
2. Jamaica 3:28.59 (Christine Day 51.5, Anastasia Leroy 51.7, Rhonda Whyte 52.89, Tiffany James 52.47);
3. USA Blue 3:32.94 (T’Shella Mungo 52.9, Kiah Seymour 52.1, Asha Ruth 52.89, Gabrielle Farquharson 55.01);
4. World All Stars 3:36.09 (Pariis Garcia 54.2, Yanique Haye-Smith 52.2, Shenika King 54.74, Marissa Gale 54.92).
800Med: 1. USA Red 1:35.20 WR, AR (old records 1:35.59 USA Penn Red ’17 (Destinee Brown, Aaliyah Brown, Kimberlyn Duncan, Raevyn Rogers 50.48);
2. Trinidad 1:37.42 (Khalifa St. Fort, Reyare Thomas, Kai Selvon, Sparkle McKnight 52.14);
3. Jamaica 1:38.31 (Sherone Simpson, Gayon Evans, Verone Chambers, Kaliese Spencer 52.54);
4. Bahamas 1:39.03 (Shequnia Ferguson, Tamara Myers, Tynia Gaither, Katrina Seymour 52.65);
5. Guyana 1:42.36; 6. USA Blue 1:46.18).
