PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, April 28–30 — The USA vs the World races — a staple of the Penn Relays program since ’00 – were retired during the pandemic hiatus, but at least one event delivered on that flavor as the storied meet returned for its 126th edition. Devon Allen got the edge over Omar McLeod to win the 110H in a duel that rekindled the spirited U.S./Jamaica rivalry.
Allen, who recently signed a deal with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles to play wide receiver, received a hero’s welcome from the Saturday crowd of 38,843. His 13.11 lowered the long-standing Franklin Field record of 13.29, set back in ’79 by another track/football hurdles star, Renaldo Nehemiah. “Today was awesome,” Allen said. “Probably the best atmosphere I’ve been to in track & field, maybe outside an Olympic final.”
After a rocket start, he held off ’16 Olympic champion McLeod, who finished in 13.22. “I think actually it was a really good race,” said Allen. “I’m not there technically, but my footspeed is there, and me being aggressive — which is probably one of the most important things a hurdler can be — is there… There’s a few transition things I need to do in order to take me down from 12.9 to 12.8 to 12.7. It’s important to run two races at 13.1 in April so far.”
Despite making his second Olympic final last year and lowering his PR to 12.99, Allen still missed his first love, football. “I kinda felt a little empty without it the last four or five years when I was just doing track,” said the former Oregon star, who had 41 receptions for 684 yards and 7 touchdowns during his injury-plagued gridiron career in Eugene.
He’ll continue to toggle between the two sports this spring and summer (he was in Philly all week for organized team activities with the Eagles), with the hope of making the U.S. squad for the World Championships on his former home track before reporting to training camp with his new team.
A much-hyped attack on the WR in the 4 x Mile didn’t deliver on the statistical side, but did feature an exciting race between the Colorado-based On AC and Ireland’s Dublin TC. The ’85 mark of 15:49.08 set by an Irish all-star team was safe following an opening halfmile of 2:08 for the field, but the race developed into a much more competitive affair than expected.
After opening legs by last-minute replacements Ben Flanagan of Canada (4:07.15) and Tom Elmer (4:04.11) of Switzerland — the OAC found itself more than 8 seconds behind. But a strong 3:58.25 by U.S. 10K Olympian Joe Klecker brought the two teams even at the final exchange. Less than halfway through the anchor leg, Aussie Olli Hoare blasted ahead to put the race away for the OAC. His 3:55.18 capped a 16:04.69 effort, while the Dubliners came through in 16:10.04.
“I’m very comfortable running from the front at this point in my career, but it’s not easy,” said Hoare, a finalist in the Olympic 1500 last summer. “It’s tough for anyone mentally and to be able to worry about chasing a time is something that’s going to be on your head. The crowd was getting into it and that’s what it’s all about. It was amazing to have Dublin, an Irish team, defending that record.”
Ole Miss was the only college team to win multiple relays, taking the DMR on Friday followed by the 4×8 on Saturday with the same quartet on both: Cade Bethmann, John Rivera, Baylor Franklin and NCAA Indoor mile champ Mario García Romo doing double anchor duty. The Spaniard won a 4-man battle in the homestretch of the DMR (9:29.45) and his solo 1:47.91 in the 4×8 helped the Rebels move to No. 10 all-time on the collegiate list at 7:13.91.
Claudio Romero of Virginia had the top field mark, becoming the No. 4 all-time collegiate performer in the discus at a Chilean Record 219-10 (67.02). Teammate Owayne Owens took the triple jump by nearly 2ft, hitting 54-6 (16.61) in the sixth round.
PENN RELAYS MEN’S RESULTS
Attendance: 20,176/33,73/38,843—92,751
Invitational Men
300: 1. Chidi Okezie’ (Ngr) 32.68 PR; 2. Rusheen McDonald’ (Jam) 32.69; 3. Wil London (Nik) 32.71 PR (out AL);
4. Marqueze Washington (unat) 32.76 PR; 5. Myles Pringle (Nik) 32.82 PR; 6. Devin Quinn (Nik) 33.23 PR.
600: 1. Alex Amankwah’ (Gha) 1:15.88 PR; 2. Rajay Hamilton’ (Jam) 1:16.00 PR; 3. Kameron Jones (Tracksm) 1:16.47 PR (out AL); 4. Rob Downs (Diad) 1:16.61 PR; 5. Charles Jones (UArmDist) 1:16.63.
800: 1. Kyle Langford’ (GB) 1:46.11;
2. Vince Crisp (UArmDist) 1:46.32 (out AL);
3. Josh Hoey (adi) 1:47.36 PR; 4. Drew Windle (BrkB) 1:48.30; 5. John Lewis (unat) 1:48.93; 6. Robert Ford (unat) 1:51.49.
St: 1. Isaac Updike (NikEmpE) 8:22.96 (AL);
2. Michael Leet (unat) 8:24.22 PR; 3. Travis Mahoney (EmpE) 8:26.11; 4. Ed Trippas’ (Prin-Aus) 8:30.25; 5. Jordan Mann (OcStAC) 8:31.21; 6. Fitsum Seyoum (UArmDS) 8:32.35; 7. Brandon Doughty (UArmDS) 8:33.48; 8. Nathan Mylenek (VNTC) 8:40.38; 9. Aidan Tooker (unat) 8:43.34.
110H(0.0): 1. Devon Allen (Nik) 13.11; 2. Omar McLeod’ (Jam) 13.22; 3. Jaylan McConico (unat) 13.70; 4. Alex Al-Ameen’ (Ngr) 14.01; 5. Nick Anderson (TruF) 14.07.
5000W: 1. Nick Christie (Deca) 19:23.30 AR (old AR 19:28.66 Tim Seaman ’03).
4 x Mile: 1. On AC 16:04.69 (8 W) (Flanagan’4:07.15, Elmer’ 4:04.11, Klecker 3:58.25, Hoare’ 3:55.18);
2. Dublin TC 16:10.04 (Coscoran’ 4:08.00, Tobin’ 3:55.99, Robinson’ 4:06.48, Haso 4:00.57); 3. Empire Elite TC 16:26.67 (AL); 4. Philadelphia Runner TC 16:39.72.
University Men Track
100(1.7): 1. *Rikkoi Brathwaite’ (In-BVI) 10.28 =PR; 2. Eric Harrison’ (OhSt-Tri) 10.28; 3. *Edward Sumler (Hous) 10.30.
1500: 1. **AJ Ernst (Prov) 3:46.01.
St: 1. *Marshall Williamson (NC) 8:47.53 PR; 2. ***Patrick Thygesen’ (Prov-Aus) 8:49.36 PR.
5000: 1. **Yaseen Abdalla (Tx) 13:47.05 PR.
10,000: 1. **Evan Brennan (SB) 28:59.64 PR.
110H(1.5): 1. **Phillip Lemonious’ (Ar-Jam) 13.48; 2. **Jaheem Hayles’ (Syr-Jam) 13.57 PR; 3. *Devon Brooks (Clem) 13.62; 4. Kentre Patterson (OhSt) 13.67; 5. **De’ Vion Wilson (Hous) 13.70 PR.
400H: 1. Quivell Jordan (Hous) 49.63 PR; 2. *William Spencer (SC) 50.90; 3. **Craig Saddler (NC) 50.95 PR.
University Men Relays
4 x 100: 1. Houston 39.45 (Booker, Brown, Sumler, Maswanganyi); 2. Auburn 39.53; 3. Arkansas 39.90; 4. G.C. Foster’ (Jam) 39.91; 5. Clemson 40.15; 6. Rutgers 40.68.
4 x 200: 1. Clemson 1:22.91 (Joanus, McCoy, Hewitt, Rose); 2. G.C. Foster’ 1:23.03; 3. South Carolina 1:23.32.
4 x 400: 1. Ohio State 3:03.91 (Modeste, James, Olatoke 46.67, Johnson 44.84); 2. Houston 3:03.95 (Valentine 45.81, Jordan 45.12); 3. South Carolina 3:04.98 (Miller 44.93); 4. Pitt 3:07.09; 5. Indiana 3:08.86.
4 x 800: 1. Mississippi 7:13.71 (CL) (10 C, #9 school) (Bethmann 1:51.71, Franklin 1:46.75, Rivera 1:47.34, García Romo’ 1:47.91); 2. Penn State 7:17.86 (AL) (Perretta 1:48.84);
3. Virginia 7:18.78 (Zeh 1:49.78); 4. Georgetown 7:20.97(Payamps 1:49.93); 5. Houston 7:23.71.
4 x Mile: 1. Texas 16:17.45 (CL) (Bizimana’ 4:06.66, Abdalla 4:05.73, Hebert 4:01.28, Carrozza 4:03.78); 2. Virginia 16:17.89 (AL) (Kruse 4:07.93, Mountain 4:02.70, Sado 4:03.86, Porter 4:03.40);
3. Providence 16:17.92 (Thygesen’ 4:10.58, Back 4:00.00, White 4:02.75, Ernst 4:04.59); 4. Georgetown 16:18.04 (Salisbury 4:05.17); 5. Villanova 16:18.38 (Dolan 4:05.11); 6. Penn 16:18.83 (Sellaro 4:04.95); 7. Indiana 16:19.01 (Marshall 4:04.47) (best-ever mark-for-place: 6–8).
SpMed: 1. Indiana 3:17.39 (Laidler, Brathwaite, Benton, Marshall 1:49.20); 2. Ohio State 3:18.19 (Miller 1:49.64); 3. Duquesne 3:19.15 (Ebling 1:47.96); 4. G.C. Foster’ 3:19.52; 5. Clemson 3:20.08; 6. Penn State 3:20.70.
DisMed: 1. Mississippi 9:29.45 (out WL, CL) (Bethmann 2:56.03, Rivera’ 47.32, Franklin 1:47.74, García Romo’ 3:58.36);
2. Wisconsin 9:29.79 (Spencer 2:54.49, Enz 46.36, Hassan 1:49.57, Hacker 3:59.37); 3. UConn 9:30.31 (out AL) (Pearl 2:56.96, Ventura 45.83, Sharif 1:49.23, Van Der Els 3:58.29); 4. Virginia 9:30.69 (Kruse 2:55.96, Willis 45.70, Murphy 1:49.51, Porter 3:59.52); 5. Georgetown 9:32.21 (Payamps 4:02.42); 6. Villanova 9:32.78 (Dolan 3:58.84); 7. Miami/Ohio 9:33.38 (Camerieri 3:58.38).
University Men Field
HJ: 1. **Shaun Miller (OhSt) 7-5 (2.26) PR; 2. Romaine Beckford’ (SFl-Jam) 7-3¾ (2.23) PR; 3. Jeff Hollis (Prin) 7-1½ (2.17); 4. Jackson Marseille (SC) 7-1½.
PV: 1. *Travis Snyder (Ct) 17-5½ (5.32) PR.
LJ: 1. *A’Nan Bridgett (Rut) 26-1¾w (7.97).
TJ: 1. **Owayne Owens’ (Va-Jam) 54-6 (16.61) PR; 2. *Malik Cunningham’ (Vill-Jam) 52-10 (16.10) PR; 3. **Lance Hamilton (PennSt) 51-9¼ (15.78) PR.
SP: 1. **Hayden Tobias (OhSt) 65-5½ (19.95) PR; 2. *Jordan West (Tn) 64-5¼ (19.64); 3. Christopher Licata (Prin) 63-7 (19.38).
DT: 1. ***Claudio Romero’ (Va-Chl) 219-10 (67.02) NR (CL) (4, 7 C) (205-6, 217-8 [8, x C], f, f, f, 219-10) (62.64, 66.36, f, f, f, 67.02);
2. *Roje Stona’ (Clem-Jam) 213-7 (65.11) PR; 3. Jamir Gibson (Army) 193-8 (59.04) PR; 4. Kai Chang’ (Jam) 192-1 (58.55); 5. **Sam Welsh (Harv) 191-7 (58.39); 6. ***Jacob Lemmon (Va) 190-4 (58.02).
HT: 1. *Tyler Merkley (PennSt) 226-9 (69.13); 2. ***Sean Mockler (In) 225-4 (68.68) PR; 3. **Kyle Brown (Aub) 224-11 (68.56) PR; 4. *James Joycey (NC) 223-0 (67.98); 5. **Erik Ebel (Aub) 220-5 (67.18).
JT: 1. **Marc Minichello (Penn) 254-0 (77.42); 2. **Braden Presser (Navy) 232-5 (70.84); 3. *Roman Mitchell (NC) 231-7 (70.59); 4. **Joshua Mather’ (Rut-Can) 229-2 (69.85). ◻︎