No one's record is safe when the Quakers are on the track.
In the final meet before the 124th annual Penn Relays next weekend, the Red and Blue looked more than prepared as they tallied a total of five top-ten records in program history.
The two-day Larry Ellis Invitational, hosted by rival Princeton, brought over 100 competitive teams to the Tigers' Weaver Stadium. Although there was an abundant amount of talent at the meet, the Quakers found a way to make their mark.
The men had an impressive weekend with several standout performances. Sophomore Colin Daly ran for an all-time best in the 1,500m with a time of 3:47.60, which was good enough to take bronze at the meet and 10th best of all time in the Penn record books.
Sophomore Sean Clarke had yet another impressive performance in the pole-vault, setting a new meet record by clearing a height of 5.33m. The sophomore already holds indoor pole vault record and is chasing Mamadou Johnson’s 1993 outdoor record. Another first-place finish was tallied by sophomore Anthony Okolo in the 400m hurdles, as he ran for a personal best time of 52.34.
While the men had a standout weekend, the women's team also proved its worth and showed why it is ranked first in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mid-Atlantic Region.
Junior Anna Peyton Malizia took first in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.74m. Malizia’s performance throughout both the indoor and outdoor season has proven that she is locked in on capturing another Ivy Heps title.
Sophomore Maura Kimmel continued her impressive season by taking second in both the shot put and the discus this weekend. Freshman Ashley Anumba was just behind Kimmel in the discus, taking third.
In the hammer throw, junior Rachel Lee Wilson took second, while freshman Brooke Cope also earned second in the javelin throw. Cope broke her personal record and earned Penn’s 10th all-time distance of 43.36m. Yet another second place finish was booked by sophomore Tia Lingston in the 400m hurdles.
Junior Meghan Barnes had the meet of her life setting a personal best time 13.97 in the 100m hurdles, good for fourth in the meet and program history.
The Red and Blue quartet of Barbara Biney, Taylor McCorkle, Camille Dickson and Cecil Ene dashed to a meet record of 45.33 in the 4x100 relay. This time was also fast enough to land them third in the Penn record books. The cherry on the top of this performance was that the 4x100 squad outran rival Cornell, giving the foursome a boost of confidence going into the upcoming meets.
The next two weekends will be pivotal for the Quakers, starting next weekend with the Penn Relays, followed by the 2018 Ivy League Outdoor Heptagonal Championships. The Red and Blue have already had an outstanding season, and they will have the opportunity to break even more records in the coming weeks.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate