The 129th edition of the annual Penn Relay Carnival was filled with action-packed heat last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. While every athlete had their highs and lows, here are five major moments that took the cake as the most crowd-rousing, exhilarating races of the competition.
1. Nia Akins wins the Olympic Development women’s 800-meter elite race
2020 Nursing graduate and 2024 Paris Olympian Nia Akins made a triumphant return to Franklin Field in the Olympic Development women’s 800-meter elite race on day three of this year’s Penn Relays.
In the first 200 meters of the race, Akins led the pack behind pacer Kassidy Johnson, who stepped off, allowing Akins to move ahead. Akins built a sizable lead over the rest of the race, winning with a time of 2:00.49 — two seconds ahead of the rest of the pack.
Akins has demonstrated her prowess in this race since her time at Penn. As a Quaker, her personal record in the 800m race was 2:00.71, and she was recognized as the national runner-up at the 2019 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships in this race. At the 2024 United States Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., Akins finished first with a blazing time of 1:57.36. Last summer, Akins finished 10th at the 2024 Paris Olympics in her signature race. Most recently, she was victorious in the same event at the 2025 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Akins was last at Penn for the opening of the Ott Center for Track and Field, during which she took part in the ceremonial women’s mile race.
2. Junior jumper Kampton Kam wins the college men’s high jump championship
In a story for the record books, Penn’s own junior jumper Kampton Kam — who recently jumped 2.25 meters to set Singapore’s new national record and place No. 1 on the NCAA Division I outdoor high jump leaderboard — battled it out with Penn State jumper Isaac Osifo to win the college men’s high jump championship on day three of the Penn Relays.
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Kam seemed to be living in his revenge era after coming in last place in the 2023 Penn Relays college men’s high jump championship. Justice was served, as Kam ultimately took first place this year with a jump of 2.20 meters and fewer failed attempts than Osifo in the previous rounds. The Nittany Lion provided stiff competition for Kam, boasting a collegiate personal best of 2.15 meters and currently holding the No. 10 spot in Penn State’s men’s outdoor high jump record book.
Senior jumper Conrad Moore and junior jumper Mark Hellwig also competed in the championship, landing in 11th and 12th place, respectively. Hellwig placed eighth in last year’s championship.
Kam also won the 2025 Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track and Field Championships with a personal best height of 2.21 meters, and he placed first in his event at the Philadelphia Metro and Penn Classic earlier this season after clearing heights of 2.16 meters and 2.15 meters. With one year remaining as a Quaker, Kam is building a strong legacy for himself and every future jumper at Penn.
3. Junior sprinter Fore Abinusawa finishes in second place by 0.02 seconds in the college women’s 100m dash championship
While other runners were dragged down by the torrential downpour on day three, junior sprinter Moforehan “Fore” Abinusawa paid no heed to the rain and raced in the college women’s 100m dash championship. The event was a two-woman race: Abinusawa was just a hair behind Texas Christian sprinter Iyana Gray, who clocked a final time of 11.42 seconds. Abinusawa finished in 11.44 seconds, coming in second place in her first outing in the championship of this event.
Abinusawa sought to win on her home turf, but with Gray — who sought a three-peat — to her left, the odds were stacked against her. Gray set off in a blazing fury, barely keeping Abinusawa off her back to defend her title.
A force to be reckoned with for the Red and Blue, Abinusawa currently holds four Ivy League indoor heptagonal championship titles — the third most in program history. She also made her international debut at the 2024 African Games as part of the 4x100m relay for Nigeria.
Penn junior sprinter Christiana Nwachuku also qualified for the event on day two but did not run in the final.
4. Quincy Wilson runs a record-breaking 43.99-second split in the high school boys’ 4x400m Championship of America relay
The crowd’s energy increased tenfold when the clock struck noon on day two of the Penn Relays. Four American high schools and five Jamaican high schools took their places on the track for the most anticipated event of the day: the high school boys’ 4x400m Championship of America relay. The top time of the event in the heats was held by Bullis School — anchored by Quincy Wilson, the youngest-ever track and field Olympic gold medalist. Bullis School came into the title race with the opportunity to become the first American team to claim the title in over a decade.
The school’s biggest competition would come from three-time defending champions Kingston College, which entered the field with a field-best, season-best event time of 3:07.46. With three wins already under its belt, Kingston College was looking to become just the second school to win four straight 4x400m relay championship titles. As the opening pistol sounded, the crowd immediately rose to its feet.
Even while setting a new national record in the 4x400m relay, it simply wasn’t in the cards for Bullis School. Wilson’s blistering 43.99-second final leg — which helped the team cross the finish line with a time of 3:06.31 to finish in second place — ultimately was not enough to catch Kingston College, which finished in 3:05.93. Wilson’s 43.99-second last leg beat the Penn Relays record that he set one year ago. Unfortunately for Wilson and Bullis School, they will have to wait another year for a new opportunity to earn that elusive Penn Relays championship watch.
5. Penn track and field commit Jessica Oji wins second-straight high school girls’ shot put championship
Penn track and field commit Jessica Oji dominated the competition on day three at the high school girls’ shot put championship. Oji, competing for Livingston High School of New Jersey, wore bib number one — foreshadowing her finish atop the podium and her second title at the Penn Relays.
Her competition did not come close to her mark. In the field of 15 competitors, Oji posted a mark of 15.53 meters — more than a full meter farther than the next closest throw. She was the only athlete to throw over 15 meters. Her sixth throw was her best of the day at 15.96 meters.
That day marked an improvement over her 2024 outing, when she won with a throw of 14.12 meters.
Next year, alongside illustrious Penn throwers like junior Angeludi Asaah and senior Scott Dochat, Oji will continue to make strides in her career as a Quaker — and her greatness is just beginning.
