AU runners take over Penn
Alfred University track and field athletes competed on April 22 at the Penn Relays Carnival, the oldest and largest track and field meet in the United States.
Started in 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn Relays is an annual event that brings 15,000 participants from high schools, colleges and track clubs from all across the country to Philadelphia to compete in front of a crowd of 39,000 at Franklin Field.
AU men's and women's 4x400 relay teams along with the men's 4x100 relay team competed at this year's competition.
Seniors Lee Consolo, Matt Phillips and sophomore Richard Scott teamed up once again for the event along with freshman Jeremy Weaver for the 4x400 meters relay.
"This is my third year going to the competition, and I just get more excited every time," said Weaver. "There are so many amazing athletes who come from all over the world to run there."
AU men's 4x400 team placed third at this year's indoor NYSCTC Championships with a school record time of 3:25.22. The team also placed 11th at the indoor ECAC Championships. The relay team alongside graduate student Erik Jezek qualified AU to compete at last year’s competition.
"Penn is extremely intimidating,” said Scott who ran at the Penn Relays last year.
"Warming up next to teams like LSU and Auburn doesn't get any more surreal."
The team managed a time of 3:25.2 at the Relays this year.
The women's 4x400 team consisted of freshmen Amy Morrissey, junior Melissa Haahr, seniors Rachel Gaylord and Megan Crimmins.
Gaylord explained her excitement for participating in the Penn Relays. “I knew there was going to be some tough competition, but I think it just helped us to run faster.”
“As a distance runner turned sprinter, the idea of such a prestigious meet is quite intimidating, but I was certainly up for the challenge,” Crimmins added.
The women's 4x400 team posted a time of 4:22 at the Penn Relays.
Also competing at the Penn Relays this year was three-time Olympics champion and current record holder of the 100m, 200m, and 4x100 relay Usain Bolt. Bolt competed last Saturday during the USA vs. The World event. Having dominated the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing and the World Championships in Berlin last year, Bolt was planning on dominating the competition at Penn.
Although the AU athletes were only competing on April 22 and 23, they were able to catch a glimpse of the track super star. The AU athletes were back in action with the rest of the team competing at the Cornell Big Red Invitational on April 25 in Ithaca.
