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Penn Relays 2000
HS Summary - Day 3
St. Malachy's doubles in 7:38.86
Conor Sweeney's blistering kick blew open a tight race in the last 300 meters to give St. Malachy's of Ireland a double to go with their smashing DMR victory on Friday. There was no Alan Webb stalking the Irish team this time. Instead, St. Malachy was the stalker. Sweeney trailed Bellefield Comprehensive of Jamaica starting the bell lap, but drew even on the first turn. Down the backstretch Sweeney accelerated like a cannon and left the field in tatters. His split was 1:51.4 and the team's time was 7:38.86, eight seconds ahead of second place North Penn PA. (Bellefield's anchor fell and they dropped to last.)
It was the Irish squad's first ever 4x800 so they had basis to compare their time. Sweeney said they wanted to run in front of the big Saturday crowd on the same bill with Marion Jones and Michael Johnson. "It was terrific," Sweeney said. He said he wasn't bothered by being behind. "I knew it would be a crucial finish, but you have to have confidence. I know how to kick." Does he ever.
DyeStat wondered if it bothered Sweeney that the US media gave Alan Webb so much attention after Friday's DMR (for his sub-4:00 split), almost overshadowing St. Malachy's fourth straight Penn Relays championship. "Not at all," Sweeney said. "He is a super athlete and he deserves the attention." So does St. Malachy's. All of this team graduates, but they have others coming up to go for five in a row in 2001.
4x400
Championship: Jamaica College ran off in 3:11 unofficially.
Heats: Alan Webb, yes that one, ran a 48.3 anchor to give his South Lakes team second place in heat 192. He couldn't catch West Potomac, whose Jerry Harris ran a 46.7 split. Going with his Penn Relays record 1600 meter split Friday of 3:59.9, Webb earned Outstanding Male Relay Athlete of the Meet award.
400m Hurdles - Rickey Harris pulls up
Centreville VA sr Rickey Harris, going for his third straight Penn title, pulled up with a dislocated shoulder, reportedly a recurring problem. Harris was moving for the lead on the backstretch when he suddenly slowed and went straight off the track at the far turn. Afterward, he told a trainer massaging his shoulders that he knew what happened. With Harris out of the race, Jamaican champion Ryan Clarke won the race in 51.55, a second slower than Harris' Penn Relays record last year.
Boys 4x100
Wolmer's Boys JAM 40.56 nosed out Jamaica College JAM 40.58. Details on Boys 4x100
Field Events
Best performances of the day were Allen Simms, Eleanor Roosevelt MD sr, 51-9 triple jump; Paul Klemic Mainland Regional NJ 7-0.25 high jump; and Vikas Gowda, Frederick MD sr, 183-2 in the discus. Gowda is the son of Shiva Gowda, a 1988 Olympic decathlete for India.
For complete results of the Penn Relays, go to the DyeStat Penn Relays Events page.
Attendance: 45,000, third largest Saturday crowd
Weather: high 70s, sunny
