Track comes alive at Relays

Track's loudest stage to host its whole spectrum The eyes of the track world will once again be focused on Philadelphia this weekend, as Penn plays host to the world's most spectacular track and field carnival for the 106th consecutive year. As world-class athletes continue the season that will take them to the Summer Olympics in Sydney and competitors in grade school, high school and college near the end of their respective seasons, all will be on display this weekend at Franklin Field. The 106th running of the Relays officially kicked off yesterday with the first day of competition in the college decathlon and heptathlon. The crowds will grow this weekend, as track fans from across the world fill the bleachers to cheer on the competing athletes. By the time the action comes to a close on Saturday evening, more than 23,000 athletes will have competed at the Relays. Two hundred seventy-one colleges and 856 high schools will be represented. Athletes from across the United States and from different parts of the world will come to Penn to compete in the largest celebration of track and field in the nation. And nearly 100,000 fans should make their way to West Philadelphia for a track meet that rates second only to the Olympics in prominence. "Other than the Olympics, it's totally one of a kind," Penn assistant women's track coach Tony Tenisci said. "In a lot of ways, it's more diverse than the Olympics." In fact, while the Franklin Field bleachers will be filled to see superstars Michael Johnson and Marion Jones headline the "USA vs. the World" relays on Saturday, hundreds of local middle school athletes had the opportunity to run on the same track yesterday afternoon. "You see 90-year old people running 100 meter dashes; you see wheelchair people; you see children on the infield; you see men and women, girls and boys," Tenisci said. "It's such a human scale." While athletes of all types will compete this weekend, one of the obvious highlights will be provided by the sport's premier names in the "USA vs. the World" events. Johnson and Jones, along with other stars like Inger Miller and Maurice Greene, will return to Penn as part of their pre-Olympic preparation. The United States will take on the rest of the world's stars in the 4x100 and 4x400 meters for both the men and women and the men's 4x1500. While many in attendance will be there to see the big names, the Olympic Development athletes will be far from the only ones showcased. For the Penn teams, the Relays offer a chance to share their home with the rest of the track and field world. "It takes on a different effect because you train at Franklin Field day in and day out, and suddenly this week it just gets packed," Penn senior distance runner Sean MacMillan said. "You know that your sweat and your blood is on that track." This weekend, MacMillan and the Quakers will have to share their home with numerous athletes who will be sure to provide Franklin Field with their own fair share of sweat and blood. This competitive spirit will draw thousands of people to Franklin Field for this very special weekend. Even celebrities like Bill Cosby and George Steinbrenner will make their annual trips to the Relays. Next week will again be a normal week of practice for the Penn teams at Franklin Field. The Relays will be finished, and the fans will be gone. But for this one weekend, the University of Pennsylvania will be the center of the track universe.

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