| PHILADELPHIA - In its nine year history, USA vs. The World has featured Americans oftentimes sweeping all six relays featured. Not so on Saturday afternoon, at the 114thth running of the Penn Relays. On an overcast day, Team Jamaica won two of the first three relays - the first time they've crossed the finish line first in two races at this event -before the Americans regrouped to win the final tworaces. A crowd of 49,831 fans took in the day's action to record the second-highest single-day attendance total in Penn Relays history. The three-day total for 2008 was 113,392, also the second-highest in meet history. On Saturday afternoon, Jamaica got off to a rousing start by winning the women' s sprint medley relay in impressive style. Kerron Stewart and Aleen Bailey both ran 200m legs, with Bailey taking the lead over Team USA and the Caribbean All-Stars. Sonita Sutherland ran a brisk 400, leading the All-Stars and USA, which trailed by 7 meters. Kenia Sinclair then opened it up on the final, 800m leg, crossing the finish in 3:37.61. The All-Star team of Laverne Jones, Sherry Fletcher, Cydonie Mothercill and Mirian Barnett was second in 3:39.16, with the USA Red team of Ebonie Floyd, Hasani Roseby, Tiffany Ross Williams and Hazel Clark third in 3:41.08. Team USA returned to form in the women's 4x100m relay, with the powerful team of Lauryn Williams, Miki Barber, Lisa Barber and Allyson Felix coming from behind to win in 42.57 seconds over the USA Blue team of Muna Lee, Torri Edwards, Carmelita Jeter and Sanya Richards, second in 42.64, and Jamaica, third in 43.31. Jamaica took the early lead in the race, with USA Blue had just the slightest of leads over USA Red heading into the final leg. Felix, the two-time world champion at 100m, then turned it on to edge out Richards, the 2006 IAAF year and the world's dominant 400m runner. The 4x400m relays were significantly less dramatic for the U.S. contingents. In the women's 4x400m, 2007 World Outdoor finalist Mary Wineberg gave USA Red a sizeable lead after a 51.3-second leg. Allyson Felix followed with a 50.0 split, Natasha Hastings ran 50.4 and Sanya Richards closed with 50.3 as the team set a Penn Relays record of 3:22.16. Jamaica was second at 3:27.96 and USA Blue was third in 3:27.98. For complete results from Penn, visit www.thepennrelays.com Athlete Quotes, USA vs. The World Women's 4x100m relay Lauryn Williams: I was really pumped up, getting in the warm-up. The Jamaicans were getting kind of wild. It gets your adrenaline going. We went live on TV at 2 o'clock, so you want to make sure you run fast. We got the stick around. It's an amazing pool. We have great chemistry between all of us, because there are about 12 of us right now and it's anybody's game. This is a good way to build chemistry because you have no idea what the final four will be in Beijing. Miki Barber: I was just happy Lauryn got it to me and we had safe passes. This is home for me, it's like my 15th year here. ... No one person or no four people are the best. It's going to come down to chemistry [in Beijing]. I knew we were close when we handed off, but you can't tell until the anchor leg, the staggers are so different and the curves are so wide. Lisa Barber: I was in third leg. I couldn't tell what position we were in, but I wanted to run a great leg. Me and Allyson had a great leg and she brought it home strong. It felt good to be close to home, back near New Jersey. We [she and twin sister Miki] hadn't run a 4x100 [together] since 1999, at the University of South Carolina. This was our second time actually handing off to each other so I had a great time. Allyson finished great, and so did Sanya. Women's sprint medley relay Aleen Bailey, JAM: It's always an amazing feeling. A lot of Jamaicans in the U.S. don't get to see us run throughout the year. So we tend to do a little extra to make sure we win for them at this event. I've been running here since high school. It's amazing, when you look into the stands you see a sea of black, green and gold. They give you so much energy, they make you do your best. Women's 4x400m relay Mary Wineberg: I just wanted to come out and put the USA team in the lead. I was able to pass it on to Allyson in the lead and she kept it. Allyson Felix: She [Wineberg] ran a fantastic leg. She made it easy for the rest of us. Running at this meet, it's amazing. It always feels like someone is on your back, so it makes it more exciting running here. ... I was pleased with the way I did today. I felt the 4x100 went well. It was a pleasure for me. Natasha Hastings: They had me way out in the lead. I heard the crowd go crazy and I thought for a second Jamaica was running me down. For me, it's like a second homecoming. I'm from New York. This was my eighth consecutive year here. It was a great experience. Sanya Richards: ON THE 4X100 ... The 4x100 is really exciting. I thought it would be two A teams on the track today and I think we proved it. It was a great competition and I'm excited to see who will make the final four at the Olympic Games. This is the early part of the season, when you get a chance to put a lot of work in, see where you are. I've done very very little speed work in practice, so to run well today, I was very, very happy with that. ... It's going to be a huge, huge task (to make the 4x100 relay), but I'm up to the challenge and I'm going to keep working as hard as I can. ON THE 4X100: Once Allyson got the stick, it was basically over. I don't know what we would do if we were pushed for all four legs. I think 3:22 is a great indicator of how strong we are. |
