AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn track and field team will compete at the historic Penn Relays at Franking Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday through Saturday April 27-29.
"Penn Relays is an awesome event and is truly a carnival in the celebration of track and field," Tigers head coach Leroy Burrell said. "It is the kind of meet where the competition conditions are not optimal but the nostalgia, the hype, and the energy at Franklin Field more than makes up for the fact that that it's a little difficult to navigate."
Burrell has a long history at the relays as a competitor in high school, college, and as a coach. The Philadelphia native found himself in Franklin Field for the first time at Penn Wood High School in 1980.
In 1989, Burrell led the Houston Cougars to the 4x100m relay Championship of America title. Running down two-time Olympian Raymond Steward on the anchor leg allowed the Cougars to break Texas Christian University's streak of the event title. He was also a key part of the Santa Monica Track Club setting the 4x200m relay world record in 1992 with Michael Marsh, Floyd Heard and Carl Lewis.
Burrell was inducted into the Carnival Wall of Fame in 2010 after winning seven watches winner, three in college and four in Olympic Development races. He returns to the carnival for the first time as Auburn track and field's head coach.
The five-day event features more than 15,000 participants from high schools, colleges and track clubs in North America and abroad. Held at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus, over 100,000 spectators will be in attendance over the final three days. Thirty-one Tigers will make the trip to the keystone state in pursuit of a Penn Relays wheel.
Leading the way for the Tigers will be senior All-American, Dontavious Hill in the college men's high jump championship. Hill has cleared 2.24m/7-4.25 to lead the nation this season. He finished second at this meet a year ago clearing 2.23m/7-3.75.
Freshman Keyshawn Strachan will compete at his first Penn Relays in the college men's javelin throw championship. Strachan leads the nation with his throw of 84.27m/276-6 at the 2023 Texas Relays.
Currently number three in the nation, senior Madi Malone will return to the ring in the college women's hammer throw. At this meet last year, Malone set the school record 69.66m/228-6 to finish runner up.
The Tigers will get action underway at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. CT with Malone in the women's hammer throw.
Freshman sprinter Azeem Fahmi will travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to compete at the East Coast Relays on the campus of the University of North Florida. Fahmi will line up at 2:00 p.m. CT in the men's 100m dash.
Live results for Penn Relays can be found at here and live results for East Coast Relays can be found at here.
