Penn track titillates crowd in 4x400

Franklin field was infiltrated by outsiders this weekend, heralding teams from all over the nation and the world. But the spectators didn't have to look far to see a good show. The Penn men's 4x400-meter team had the entire stadium on its feet going into the last leg of the Heptagonal qualifier heat on Friday. Penn was neck and neck with Yale throughout the race, and, with the help of the crowd, was able to squeak out the victory in 3:12.94. "We just wanted to come out and beat Yale, because Yale had the top times," Penn freshman Luqman Kolade said. "We were pumped just to keep it close with them the first two legs and then just let Sam [Burley] and Brian [Abram] take it home." The team, comprised of freshmen Chris Edmonds and Kolade and sophomores Burley and Abram, wore their red and blue uniforms proudly this weekend. They were not only proud to be the home team at such a historic event, but they were also eager to prove themselves on the track. "I ran here in high school, but it was a lot cooler this time" kolade said. "Just running around the stadium and having everyone scream my name -- that was pretty cool and a lot of fun. [The Penn uniform] is so distinctive -- everyone knows that we're Penn and that we're the home team." The Quakers qualified for Saturday's IC4A 4x400 relay with their time in the Heptagonal race. But Penn ended up last in that Saturday heat, despite running only 3/10ths of a second slower than they did on Friday. The Penn men's team definitely felt the pressure that a crowd of nearly 50,000 and the best teams in the nation bring. The sprint medley team dropped the baton during the first handoff last Friday and was therefore disqualified from the race in which they had hoped to do well. "I was really nervous before -- like more nervous than I've ever been in my life," 4x400 lead-off leg Edmonds said. "It was amazing. It was just an experience I'll never forget." The women's team didn't have such an eventful Relays, but the Quakers' 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 relays teams all ran their fastest times for the season. The 4x100 finished in 49.09, and was aided by senior captain JaJuan Gair, who ran the event for the first time this week after bouncing back from an injury. "I was pleased with their performances," Penn women's assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "No place in the whole world can host a track and field meet like this. I've always been very proud of Penn, and I think we represented the university well." Kristin Koch represented Penn in the distance events, running a personal best in the 5,000 with a time of 17:34.03. Julie Siebert-Johnson threw 145'1", her best mark of the season in the javelin. It was the 14th-farthest throw at the Relays. Individually for the men, Adam Chubb finished tied for sixth in the college high jump (6'9"), Aaron Prokopec was eighth in the pole vault (15'9") and Tuan Wreh placed ninth in the triple jump championship (49'9 1/4"). On Thursday, Andy Kish set a personal record by running 31:11.72 in the 10,000.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.