The Penn Relays Preview
Who to watch at the biggest track meet in the USA.
This weekend, the brightest young talent from across the USA and the Caribbean will take center stage at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, competing on the iconic Rekortan track from April 23–25, 2026.
Now in its 130th year as the premier track event in the United States, the Penn Relays are renowned for delivering unforgettable performances. Since 1988, Rekortan has been the official track, we have been ‘spiked’ by legendary athletes such as Usain Bolt, Leroy Burrell, Lauryn Williams, and Gabby Thomas.
So, who are the rising stars to watch this year?
High School Boys 4x400m – The Jamaicans go for 17 straight
This features the highly anticipated clash between Bullis School (Maryland) and Kingston College (Jamaica). Quincy Wilson, the fastest 400m high school athlete ever, will be determined to lead his team to victory after a narrow second-place finish last year, despite delivering the fastest high school 400m split in history.
Kingston College, meanwhile, is chasing a remarkable fifth consecutive title, something that hasn’t been achieved in this event since 1901. In fact, all US schools will be looking to break Jamaica’s stranglehold on the event, with an incredible 16 straight titles.
Men's College 4xMile – world record alert!
The 4xMile world record has stood since 1985 at 15:49.08, set by an Irish team led by Penn Relays legend Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan later became a coach of the Villanova team, which holds the Penn Relays record set in a spectacular 2024 race (15:51.91).
The 2025 race was won by the University of Washington, which returns in 2026 as one of the favorites. Thomas Diamond and Reuben Reina have both run 3:52 in 2026 and are among the top 30 milers in the world this year. Other teams with 3:52 runners this year include Virginia Tech (George Couttie) and Northern Arizona (Colin Sahlman).
To break the world record, the four runners would need to average 3:57 per mile. If the weather cooperates, that is well within reach.
“Olympic champion Thea LaFond is a must-watch at the 2026 Penn Relays. The event could see the long-standing 1996 record of 14.38, set by Sheila Hudson, finally broken.”
Women's Olympic Development Triple Jump
Olympic champion Thea LaFond is a must-watch at the 2026 Penn Relays. The event could see the long-standing 1996 record of 14.38, set by Sheila Hudson, finally broken. LaFond has jumped 14.62 this year, ranks third in the world, and is one of just 30 women in history to have surpassed the 15.00m mark.
As a high school athlete, she won the triple jump title in 2011 and returned in 2017 to win the Olympic Development elite event. LaFond is also one of nearly 300 Olympic gold medalists who have competed at the Penn Relays throughout its history.
Calabar High School, Jamaica – can they go clear with 10 wins?
Last year, Calabar High School became one of the most successful programs in the High School Boys 4x100m, with nine titles, tying Mercersburg Academy (PA), Boys and Girls High School (NY), and Camperdown (Jamaica). Can they make history and become the first school to claim a 10th title?
Saint Lucia on debut
Saint Lucia makes its debut at the Penn Relays, with five high school athletes from St Mary’s College competing in the High School Boys 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
Despite having a population of fewer than 200,000, Saint Lucia has made a big impact in track and field. The island is the home of Julien Alfred, 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the 100m and silver medalist in the 200m.
Men's High Jump – a 39-year old record could fall
Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Shelby McEwen has good memories of competing on a Rekortan track, having won the 2025 Doha Diamond League. However, his best mark this year is just 2.22m, which may not be enough to beat reigning USA indoor champion Elijah Kosiba (2.24m).
This is another discipline where a long-standing event record, 2.25m set in 1977, could be under threat.
Women's High Jump – two of the best in the world
There is a fierce rivalry between 2016 World Indoor champion Vashti Cunningham, currently ranked ninth in the world, and reigning U.S. indoor champion Charity Hufnagel, ranked 12th. Hufnagel got the better of Cunningham at the U.S. Championships in late February, clearing 1.96m, which ranks eighth in the world this year.
That mark would be enough to break the Penn Relays record of 1.94m, which has stood since 1994.
Men's Triple Jump – hop, skip and record
The world’s second-ranked athlete, Jamaica’s Jordan Scott, is in excellent form after winning silver at the World Indoor Championships in Poland. The event record of 16.86m, set in 2025 by Bahamian Jah-Nhai Perinchief, looks very likely to fall.
Several Penn Relays records were broken in 2025 in the individual open events, including the men’s 800m, men’s triple jump (last contested at the Penn Relays in 1968), women’s 400m, and women’s 1,500m.
We expect a few more records to fall this year. The athletes are ready, the fans are loud, the stadium historic and the track is fast. Good luck to all competitors, and thanks for making Penn Relays such a unique event.