Last year, Jamaica won the Olympic Development men's 4x400-meter relay. In that race, the United States Red team was disqualified as Tyree Washington got tangled up with a Bahamas runner in the second leg.
Washington and his three teammates -- Andrew Rock, Bershawn Jackson and LaShawn Merritt -- will return to Franklin Field this year seeking to redeem themselves.
The USA Blue team, which finished 0.45 seconds behind the Jamaicans, has two of its members returning to the Relays: Otis Harris and James Carter.
In total, there are 34 events set for professionals in the 2006 Penn Relays -- the men have 16 events, and the women have 12. In addition, there will be 4x100m, 4x400m and sprint medley "USA vs. the World" races for both men and women.
Some of the highlights of these Olympic Development events include the mile run, 400m and 100m hurdles, 10,000m walk, steeplechase, javelin and 100m dash.
The vast majority of the events, including all six "USA vs. the World" events, will be run on Saturday.
The Penn Relays offer the spectator the opportunity to watch an incredible array of professional talent.
Perhaps the most exciting female participant is American Lauryn Williams. She ran the fastest 100m time in 2005 at 10.88 seconds and also won the silver medal in that event at the 2004 Olympics.
Williams was part of the champion 4x100m team at last year's Relays. Her teammate, Angela Daigle, will also be returning. Two members of the second-place Blue team -- Muna Lee and Stephanie Durst -- will also be present.
There will be a plethora of 2005 record holders returning to the Relays, and among the numerous stars is Bernard Lagat. He was the fastest man in four events in 2005: the 1500m, mile, 3000m and 5000m. Lagat will participate in the distance medley relay with Khadevis Robinson, the 2005 800m champion.
Justin Gatlin will be foremost amongst an all-star cast of 100m sprinters. Gatlin won the event at last year's Relays and held the best time in 2005 at 9.88 seconds. Two of his 2005 4x100m teammates, Shawn Crawford and Leonard Scott, will also be there. The USA Red team beat the USA Blue team by 0.02 seconds last year.
Kerron Clement seems to be walking in Gatlin's footsteps. He will participate as a professional after running at the Relays as a student last year with Florida, just as Gatlin did with Tennessee. Clement was both the NCAA and USA outdoor champion in the 400m. He is also currently the indoor record-holder in that event, breaking the mark of Michael Johnson.
