Three Ohio State relays reach Championship of America finals at Penn Relays

The sprinters of Ohio State were a busy bunch of Buckeyes on Friday at the Penn Relays, leading the team to the Championship of America finals in three relays and qualifying several competitors in the championship round of the sprints and hurdles at Franklin Field.

The Buckeyes clocked the fastest times in the heats of the college women’s 4×100 meters (43.67 seconds), the college women’s 4×400 (3 minutes, 31.72 seconds) and the college men’s 4×400 (3:06.39).

The four members of the women’s 4×100 relay team — Anavia Battle, Leah Bertrand, Yanique Dayle and Nya Bussey — also qualified for the individual 100 meters with Battle leading the field in a time of 11.22.

Alexus Pyles and Morgan Lewis will represent Ohio State in the 100-meter hurdles finals. On the men’s side, Eric Harrison clocked 10.42 to advance to the 100-meter dash championship, and Kentre Patterson moved on to the 110-meter hurdles.

Clemson and Rutgers qualified for the Championship of America finals in four relays — men’s and women’s 4×100 and men’s and women’s 4×400. South Carolina, already winners of the women’s 4×200, advanced in three other relays, and Houston, Howard, Hampton, Indiana and Norfolk State are in the finals of two.

Other college Championship of America relays to be contested Saturday at the carnival are the women’s and men’s 4×800, the women’s 4×1500, and the men’s 4-by-mile.

Houston, which won three men’s and one women’s Championship of America relays in the last Penn Relays contested in 2019, had its share of struggles getting the baton around the track.

The Cougars were disqualified in the final of the college men’s 4×200 Championship of America and in the first heat of the college women’s 4×100 trials for handing off out of the exchange zone.

Houston was successful qualifying in two relays. The Cougars clocked the fastest time, 39.33, in the college men’s 4×100 and finished behind only Ohio State in the college men’s 4×400 in 3:07.85. Individually, Shaun Maswanganyi and Edward Sumler IV qualified for the 100-meter final.

Two Jamaican high schools established Penn Relays records in Friday’s Championship of America girls relays.

Edwin Allen broke its own record in the 4×100 with a time of 43.18, beating its mark of 43.62 set in 2019. Hydel lowered its record in the 4×400 from 3:33.99 to 3:32.77.

The high school boys distance medley relay Championship of America was captured by Union Catholic (N.J.), which crossed the line in 10:14.42.