40,000 fans cheer on the next generation of champions at the 130th Penn Relays

The Penn Relays is one of the world’s most iconic track and field events. Run on Rekortan since 1988, it serves as a bridge between grassroots athletics and elite competition.

The Penn Relays represents the sport at its most compelling: athletes competing not just for themselves, but for their school, teammates, and the legacy of Franklin Field.

Once again, the next generation rose to the occasion. Cheered on by 40,000 family members, school friends, and track fans, the 2026 edition, run on a fast Rekortan track, showcased why the Penn Relays remains the #1 event in the USA for emerging talent.

High School Boys: A Long‑Awaited American Breakthrough

The High School Boys’ 4x400m was one of the weekend’s most anticipated races, and it delivered a moment for the ages. Olympic champion Quincy Wilson, returning after his historic 43.99 split in 2025, anchored Bullis School to the first American win since 2007. In pouring rain, a baton drop from a leading Jamaican team opened the door for Wilson to secure a historic victory.

It marked Bullis School’s first-ever win, a long-awaited U.S. breakthrough, and a fitting finale to Wilson’s extraordinary high school career.

Jamaica’s dominance still shone elsewhere, especially in the 4x100m, where Jamaican teams claimed eight of nine final spots and extended their winning streak to 20 years.

Mifflin set a new Penn Relays Distance Medley record, while Michael Andre Edwards broke the Triple Jump record twice, reaching 16.29m.

High School Girls: Records Rewrite the Books

The girls’ events were equally impressive.

Blair Bartlett delivered one of the standout performances of the meet, smashing her own Penn Relays 3000m record with a 9:04.92, nearly nine seconds faster than her 2025 mark. She became the first athlete to defend the title since 2013.

In the Mile, Abigail Hennessey (MA) controlled the race from the gun, setting a new Penn Relays record of 4:38.13.

Jamaica’s Edwin Allen continued its dominance in the 4x100m, winning for a remarkable 12th consecutive year, while Union Catholic defended its Distance Medley title with another record-breaking run.

“Blair Bartlett delivered one of the standout performances of the meet, smashing her own Penn Relays 3000m record with a 9:04.92, nearly nine seconds faster than her 2025 mark.”

College Men: New 100m record

Jamaican sprinter Gary Card (UTech) lit up the men’s collegiate program by breaking the Penn Relays record set by Carl Lewis in 1983. Card ran 10.03 in the preliminaries before returning to win the final.

Other standout results included:

4x800m: Michigan broke a 41‑year‑old Penn Relays record, finishing just 0.28 off the U.S. collegiate record.
Distance Medley: Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum held off Villanova’s Marco Langon by 0.10 in a thrilling final stretch.
4xMile: Villanova claimed its 23rd title in a tactical, chaotic race that saw five teams in contention until the final meters.
High Jump: Kampton Kan defended his title, securing a 10th Penn Relays win for the University of Pennsylvania.

College Women: A Texas A&M Sweep and Historic Marks

Texas A&M delivered one of the defining team performances of the weekend, sweeping the 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m relays, with Camryn Dickson and Jasmine Montgomery starring across all three.

Other standout results included:

Distance Medley: North Carolina broke the National Collegiate Record, with Stanford also finishing under the previous mark.
3000m Steeplechase: Angelina Napoleon (NC State) shattered the meet record by 14 seconds.
5000m: Allie Zealand (Liberty) broke a 42‑year‑old Penn Relays record with 15:26.38.
Javelin: Evelyn Bliss (Bucknell) set new Penn Relays and Franklin Field records.

Olympic Development: Champions breaking records on Rekortan

The Olympic Development events added star power to the weekend:

Women’s Triple Jump: Olympic champion Thea LaFond jumped beyond the 30‑year‑old meet record, but with wind just 0.01 m/s over the limit, the mark won’t stand.
Men’s Triple Jump: Jordan Scott (Jamaica) set a new meet record with 17.23m.
400m: Justin Robinson broke Quincy Hall’s Penn Relays record with 46.03, adding momentum to a promising 2026 season.

A Stage Built for the Future

Penn Relays is where the next generation of champions first learn to win under pressure. It’s where rivalries form, confidence grows, and athletes discover what they’re capable of in front of one of the sport’s most passionate crowds.

Rekortan has been proud to be part of this journey for 38 years. From Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson to Allyson Felix and Usain Bolt, many of the sport’s greatest stars and most promising young athletes have raced, battled, and broken through on the Rekortan track at Franklin Field. We wish the Class of 2026 a healthy, rewarding, and fast future in track.