Apr 22, 2024

*Hydel edges out Edwin Allen and Bullis School in the Penn Relays Girl's 2023 Championship of America 4x400m Finals

Photo Credit: KyleSplit / MileSplit

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We are T-minus a few days away from the Penn Relays presented by Toyota.

Fast times and big performances are expected, but which schools are returning from last year and hoping to win the coveted Penn Relays wheel?

Take a look at some of the top returning schools and match-ups in several relay events down below.

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Girls 4x100m Relay

The McDonogh School girls are coming in as the top ranked team from the U.S. and are in the fast section of the 4x100m girls heats. Championship of America finalists are determined by the heats.

So the expectation going in is that the program is among those favored to qualify. Currently ranked at U.S. No. 16, the girls come in with a current best of 45.91.

Their top competitor on the U.S. side? It's the current U.S. No. 18 team IMG Academy (FL), which currently sit at 45.95.

McDonough placed fourth in the championship finals last year in this event with a 46.57. Both teams are already coming into the meet with season bests that are currently faster than the third-place team last year.

We would like to note the wining team from the 2023 event, Hydel from Jamaica, which will be retuning as well. Setting up for a strong battle in the girls 4x100m final, these teams are among those favored.

16	45.91	MD McDonogh School	Black and Blue Hopkins Invite 1st F
18	45.95	FL IMG Academy	TFA Last Chance 1st F

Girls 4x400m Relay

The lineup for this year's Penn Relays is stacked.

This year all eyes are on Bullis School (MD), which hold the current U.S. No. 1 time of 3:35.23 -- which is the also high school national record they set this year at the Florida Relays.

Returning from a third-place finish last year, their current season best mark would have won them the event in 2023. And it certainly will put them in the conversation against Jamaican programs in 2024.

But their best American counterparts? St. John College High School might be one of them. The program is the second-best American returner from last year and finished eighth in the finals in 2023.

Overall, although we will be seeing some talented teams from Jamaica in the event as well, it is looking like Bullis is ready to take it all if they continue down this path of success in the event.

3:35.23

MD Bullis School

Florida Relays 1st F

Boys 4x800m Relay

Newburgh Free Academy (NY) brings the highest ranked American team into the prelims with their U.S. No. 23 mark of 7:51.74. The indoor national champions in the sprint medley relay will go against La Salle College (PA) with their mark of 8:04.06.

Both of these performances would have fared well in 2023, with Newburgh having an excellent shot at the title.

Their biggest international competition will come from the returning second-place team, Kingston College out of Jamaica, which ran a 7:47.68 last year in the Penn Relays final.

23	7:51.74	NY Newburgh Free Academy	Monroe-Woodbury vs. Newburgh Free Academy 2nd F
128	8:04.06	PA La Salle College	Cardinal Invitational 1st F

Boys 4x100m Relay

Archbishop Carroll High School is our top pick here.

The D.C.-based program placed third here last year, finishing as the top American team in the event. And they're coming off a indoor national record in the 4x200.

Their current mark of 40.73 -- from the Texas Relays -- has them ranked at U.S. No. 19.

Their biggest competition is looking like it is going to be coming from IMG Academy (FL). IMG finished in eighth last year -- though it struggled in the finals -- and is most definitely looking for redemption.

They have a current season best mark of 41.50, which would have put them in fifth in last year's event.

These two school have some serious competition coming out of Jamaica, but are looking to still represent America the best they can as they aim for the coveted Penn Relays Wheel.

19	40.73	DC Archbishop Carroll High School (DC)	Texas Relays 1st F
83	41.5	FL IMG Academy	Dunbar Tiger Classic 1st F