Oldest and largest track meet in U.S. this weekend

PROVO, Utah – Athletes are preparing to descend upon Philadelphia to participate in the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States this Thursday through Saturday at the Penn Relays.

The University of Pennsylvania has hosted the event annually since April 21, 1895. BYU will also send athletes to the Utah/Idaho Borderclash in Boise, Idaho, on Friday and Saturday.

“The Penn Relays is a really fun, exciting meet to go to,” BYU track and field head coach Ed Eyestone said. “You get a stadium full of very enthusiastic track and field fans. It’s like performing on one of the great stages in the world for a track and field athlete.”

The Cougars will send one of their best ever sprint medley teams that will compete in the 4x400-meter relay, the distance medley relay and the 4x100-meter relay. The 4x400 team, anchored by All-American Shaquille Walker, will also feature Jesse White, who sits at No. 6 nationally in the 400 meters, Tatenda Tsumba and Tyrell Yardley. BYU will attempt to qualify its 4x100 team for regional competition this weekend.

BYU will be stacked up against some of the best competition it has seen all year. Alyssa Monteverde-Dalton (100-meter hurdles) and Kaylee Packham (400-meter hurdles) are the only women athletes travelling to the Penn Relays. Eyestone said they have their sights set on new personal records.

“Good competition usually brings out great performances,” Eyestone said. “Hopefully we can couple that with some awesome weather for some very fast times. The bottom line for a runner is that you like to compete at your best, and great competition usually brings that out in you. And then you want to run your personal best marks as well. I know that Alyssa and Kaylee will both be trying to do that.”

You can check the men’s track and field schedule page for live results from both the Penn Relays and Utah/Idaho Borderclash.