PHILADELPHIA -- Just like that, the historic Penn Relays are back once again, and the performances are already top-tier.

On the opening day of the Penn Relays, all levels of competition are impressing both on and off the track. From the elite high school prelims to the Masters divisions, no one is missing a beat and the results are red-hot.

High School Girls 4x800 Small School

The girls of Union Catholic (NJ) walked away from Thursday's competition with the fastest time in the prelims, leading the charge in 9:02.27, just missing a sub-nine performance. Jimmiea King, Peyton Hollis, Sophia Thompson and Paige Sheppard all did their part, splitting 2:17, 2:14, 2:16 and 2:14 to hold off Rumsen-Fair Haven (NJ) who was close behind in 9:04.48. The Vikings head into the final both as the top seed and the defending champions, after winning a year ago in 8:44.98, the second-fastest time in high school history.

High School Girls 4x800 Large School

The South Lakes (VA) girls ran away from the field in the first round of the large school 4x800m, clocking a state lead of 9:11.06. Aya Ryan (2:20) took the race out, followed by Catalina Simon (2:17), Caroline Elliott (2:13) and Bella Harsanyi (2:19) on the anchor leg. South Lakes was one of four teams under 9:20, and the lone squad under 9:15 in the prelims. 

High School Girls 4x100 Heats

Would you be shocked if I told you Hydel (JAM) were the fastest team out of the prelims? Just as they have many times before, the Jamaica-based school showed up and showed out, clocking 45.99 as the only quartet below 46.0, successfully keeping Archbishop Carroll (DC) at bay. Last April, Hydel left Pennsylvania as the 'Champions of America' after dropping 44.16 in the final. This year, they're once again the team to beat.

High School Girls Prep School 4x100 Independent

The fastest time of the day and a meet record? Say less! The Deerfield Academy (MA) 4x100m broke the seven-year-old in the Prep School 4x100, besting St. Catherine's (VA) mark of 49.40 from 2017. Alex Hermsdorf, Zariah Hargrove, Campbell Fealy and Kaelin Creagh went well under the previous record, running 48.75 with Loomis Chaffee (CT) right behind them in 48.83.

Masters Men 4x100 40/50 And Older

In a tight-knit battle between the Potomac Valley TC Stars and the Southwest Sprinters TC, it was the former who walked away with the division title and bragging rights. With an official time of 47.45, Jermaine Muir, Ernest Rutherford, Anthony Adeleke and Nagasi Gerima combined fora a 47.45 to win by just under a quarter of a second.

Masters Men 4x100 60 And Older

With a few seconds to spare, Flashpoint picked up the 4x100m title in the '60 and Older' division, pulling well away from Greater Philadelphia TC over the course of the relay. Roland Humphrey, Owen Barrett, Brian Hankerson and Don McGee proved they've still got it, posting a solid 51.84 this afternoon.

Masters Men 4x100 70 And Older

As the lone team under sixty seconds, Houston Elite (M70) is leaving 'The City of Brotherly Love' as champs after running 59.44. Ni Bryant was the lead off man, followed by Don Warren and Horace Hudson, before Michael Kish brought the team home down the final stretch. Houston Elite won by nearly five seconds, the biggest margin of victory in the men's Masters races.

Masters Women 4x100 40 And Older

In the lone heat of the Masters Women 4x100, this race wasn't over until the very end. In a gritty battle between Shore AC and Central Park TC, it was the group out of New Jersey who came out on top. Stopping the clock at 54.50, Dianne Essilifie, Nichole Govan, Eusheka Bartley and Mauvelhena Walles circumnavigated the track at Franklin Field to hold off Central Park TC by nearly a second, who crossed in 55..36.

Special Olympics 4x100

In one of my favorite races of the day, it was the SOFL Florida Elite squad that was able to hoist the coveted Penn Relays trophy this afternoon. Working together, P. Reece , K. Graham, N. Hammett, D. Rams made their away around the track in 48.06. 

Special Olympics 4x100 Unified

The Unified 4x100 was a nail-biter, as JP McCaskey and SOFL Florida Blaze took it down to the wire, with each squad crossing in 50.30 and 50.55. The cherry one top? The quartet of B. Melvin, K. Thomas, L. Gray and J. Oliver won it all out of lane eight.

Masters Men 100m 40 And Older

Out of the four men on the line, Jeremy Vickery was the quickest of the bunch, breaking the tape in 11.79, almost a second ahead of the rest of the field. Richard Brown was the runner-up in 12.76, with Todd Mortensen and Steven Basile Jr. rounding out the field 13.56 and 13.78.

Masters Men 100m 50 And Older

Whoever said that sprinting as a 50-year-old was hard apparently had never heard of Jeffery Mack. The spry speedster won the 'Men's 50 and older' 100m dash in 11.62, comfortably taking down the field by over half of a second. Adeniran Epebinuade was runner-up in 12.20.

Masters Men 100m 55 And Older

Representing the Southwest Sprinters TC, David Gibbon held off Greater Philadelphia TC's Wayne Foulke 11.96-12.51 to pick up the Penn Relays win. Jacques Lucian was 3rd in 12.75, as. Curtis Muhammad took 4th in 13.77.

Masters Men 100m 60 And Older

In one of the closer races of the day at the Masters level, Bill Yelverton (Greater Philadelphia TC), Gerald Mitchell (Pony Express Masters), Zac Tolin and Don McGee (Potomac Valley TC) all dipped below 13.7, with Yelverton winning over the field in 13.23. Mitchell, Tolin and McGee crossed in 13.39, 13.42 and 13.68, respectively. 

Masters Men 100m 65 And Older

As the lone man under 14 seconds, Tony Fulton Sr. picked up the win in the 100m, crossing in 13.26 to win by over a second-and-a-half. Robert Change and Steven Phillips (Atlanta TC) rounded out the top three finishers, running 14.90 and 15.28 on the day.

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Masters Men 100m 70 And Older

Far and away one of the most jaw-dropping performances of the day, Houston Elite's Michael Kish's win in the second-oldest division was phenomenal. Running away with the win in 13.32, Kish took down both David Ponder and Jack Kapenstein (Philadelphia Masters) who crossed in 14.69 and 14.96, rounding out the sub-15 finishers.

Masters Men 100m 75 And Older

Is there anything more rewarding to be able to run a 14.05 100m dash in your 70's? Let alone finish one? Well, five super-humans all took care of business, as Charlie Allie (14.05), Don Warren (14.75), Ivan Black (17.11), Nelson Polun (18.84) and Faud Elamin (20.49) took on the 100m dash, and conquered it. 

Masters Women 100m 40 And Older

In the first of two women's Master races over 100m, it was Carla Ramirez-Montes de Oca who was victorious, edging out Maurel Hena Walles of the Shore AC, 13.66-13.74. Nikisha Alcidor was third in 14.14. Ramirez-Montes de Oca sits in a tie for the fastest women's' time of the day.

Masters Women's 100m 60 And Older

In the latter of the two heats, India Bridgette clocked 13.66 to win by nearly a second, as Angela Washington was the next closest finisher in 14.60. Marguerite Matthews was third in the race, running 16.09.

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The Stat Of The Day 

The Union Catholic girl's relays didn't waste any time in Thursday's qualifying races, sending teams THREE total teams through to the finals in the 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m. In the 4x100m, Taylor Aska, Taylor Cox, Leah Gould and Rhia Randolph strung together a solid performance to finish with the 8th fastest prelim time of 47.07, beating over 100 other teams along the way. Later in the afternoon, Aska and Randolph both circled back for the 4x400m, as Sydney Chadwick and Abriyah Thompson joined them for a 3:45.11 performance, easily winning their heat by ten seconds. Finally, the 4x800m posted the fastest qualifying time of the day, as Jimmiea King, Peyton Hollis, Sophia Thompson and Paige Sheppard combined for a 9:02.27, completing the trifecta of Viking relays moving onto the final.

How To Watch The 2024 Penn Relays

For those in the United States, the 2024 Penn Relays will be broadcast live on FloTrack.

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For those excited about the Penn Relays and wanting to get a peek at some early coverage, NBC Sports Philadelphia has put together the 2024 Penn Relays Preview Show presented by Toyota.

Hear from event staff, experts and more, while learning about the history of the event and what to expect in 2024. 

The show premiers April 10, but there will be replays leading into the start of the Penn Relays. Check out the air dates HERE.

How To Watch The 2024 Penn Relays

The 2024 Penn Relays is streaming in the United States on FloTrack and the FloSports app. Meet replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms.

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