Penn Relays may be best in history

It is quite simply the greatest track meet in America. Since its first running 100 years ago, the Penn Relay Carnival has grown into one of the largest and most important meets in the world. While the Olympics may feature more of the top athletes in the world, and the NCAAs may draw more top college athletes, no meet can match the Relays in terms of the overall quality of Olympic and college athletes. When the thousands of high school competitors are factored in, the result is an event that is marveled at by athletes, coaches and fans. This year the 50,000 fans who flock to the 101st running of the relays may witness the finest Relays ever. "The field for this year's Penn Relays is even stronger than last year's," Penn Relays director Dr. Tim Baker said at a press conference yesterday, "and last year's field was probably the best ever." Among the Olympic athletes featured are Mike Marsh, 100-meter world record holder Leroy Burrell and Steve Lewis, all of the famed Santa Monica Track Club. Nike members include Michael Johnson, who is looking to break Butch Reynolds' record 400 meters this year. The Relays also recently gained another notable athlete. "Yesterday I received a call asking if Jackie Joyner-Kersee could compete in the high jump." Baker said. "It took me about one second to give them an answer." About 245 colleges and universities are expected to compete at the Relays. Among those competing will be 13 of the top 20 indoor men's teams and 14 of the top 20 indoor women's teams. One of the top teams is the LSU women's team, which has won three straight indoor NCAA titles and eight straight outdoor championships. "This is one meet where we want to do our very best," LSU coach Pat Henry said yesterday. "Penn is a set kind of training ground where we try to put pressure on ourselves." There will also be several high-caliber individual college performers. Sixty-six percent of the points scored at the men's indoor NCAA meet were scored by athletes competing at the Relays, while 75 percent of the points scored at the women's meet were accounted for by Penn Relays athletes. Three college athletes will be honored this year at the Relays: three-time NCAA champion and nine-time all-American Diane Guthrie-Gresham of George Mason; eight-time all-American Graham Hood of Arkansas; and four-time all-American and Rhodes Scholar Becky Spies of Villanova. Despite all of these stars, it is in the high school field that the true spirit of the Relays is captured. For a high school athlete who normally runs in front of crowds that barely fill the bleachers, competing in a packed Franklin Field is the ultimate feeling. The high school field this year includes 100 more teams than last year. The growing number of high school teams has produced some concern among the directors of the meet. "The problem that we are having is that now we are at the point with the additional teams that we have to start telling people that it is not their birth-right to run at the Penn Relays," Baker said. The competition kicks off with the Penn Relays Distance Classic this Sunday. The actual Relays Carnival will be held April 27-29.