Led by senior runner Jesse Carlin, four Penn women entered the history books when they were named All-Americans at the NCAA Spring Indoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend.
Carlin advanced to the 800m finals at the University of Arkansas track on Sunday, finishing with a season-best time of 2:06:48. She crossed the finish line in sixth place, garnering one of her two All-America honors.
"It was an amazing weekend," Carlin said. "Just to look back at where I was this time last year, compared with where I am now."
It was only this time last year that Carlin decided to even compete in the 800. She always considered the 400m sprint her forte, but decided to run cross-country in the fall in order to prepare for the longer race.
"Traditionally, I'm a mid-sprinter, so moving up to the 800m I had to increase my training - a lot longer and harder - to increase my endurance and help lower my times," she said.
Carlin has her sights on even higher goals. During the upcoming outdoor track season, Carlin hopes to peak towards the end of the summer in order to compete in the Olympic trials in July.
But can she improve on her times when she's officially already one of the fastest 800m runners in the country? Carlin is confident she can run even faster.
"Really, I just have to increase my strength. I have the speed," she said. "The last lap is what really needs to be fixed. That's where the change is going to come from."
A sophomore from Louisiana State University, Latavia Thomas, won first place in the 800m finals with a time of 2:05.07.
In addition to Carlin, Penn was represented by its distance medley relay team (DMR). Carlin ran the third leg of the relay, while seniors Claire Kim, Shaunee Morgan and Stacy Kim completed the rest of the DMR. The team finished with a time of 11:14.97, good for seventh place and All-America status.
Stacy Kim - who raced the mile portion as the final, or "anchor," leg of the relay - admitted she was nervous leading up to the race. She felt the pressure as the closing runner, but she could hear the cheers of her teammates from the inside of the field.
"A lot of people depend on you," she said. "It was really great, because out of the whole season, this was the race I really gave my best shot. After the race, my legs were shot."
Tennessee's DMR team won first place with a time of 11:01.97. Penn was the only member of the Ivy League with teams in the finals for both the 800m and the DMR.
"We're ecstatic," said coach Gwen Harris of the team's success. "They did the job they came up to do."
