These Penn Relays will have more prestige in the track world, and more prize money for stars

Last month, World Athletics upgraded the Relays’ status on the international circuit from bronze to silver. That means Relays competitors can earn points toward Olympics qualification, and more cash.

Hurdlers competing in last year's Penn Relays Olympic Development 110-meter race.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published April 24, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET

This year’s Penn Relays again will have a set of races with big international stars on Saturday. While it still won’t be quite the same spectacle as the old USA vs. the World showcase, there will be some marquee names — and, notably, a bit of a brighter shine from track and field’s global governing body.

Last month, World Athletics upgraded the Relays’ status on the international circuit from bronze to silver, boosting prize money and points earned toward Olympic qualification.

Though exact numbers weren’t provided, the increase in prize money more than doubles what it was before, according to a Relays spokesperson. Funding came from the athletic apparel manufacturer On, which casual sports fans might not have heard of but is a major player in the running world. (Go to the shoe section of a sporting goods store and you’ll see plenty of On logos.)

Once the Relays had the funding, the event applied for silver status, and World Athletics granted it.

Plenty of people from the governing body have come to Franklin Field over the years — former vice president Bob Hersh famously was one of the Relays’ public address announcers for a long time. But it’s always useful to remind the sport that while Oregon’s Hayward Field and New York’s Randall’s Island host the United States’ highest-level track meets, the Penn Relays is still the event drawing the biggest crowds.

At a time when the sport gets barely any mainstream attention in the U.S., the annual spectacle at Franklin Field still counts for something.

‘Getting more recognition’

“I think that it’s really good for us in America to have the support from World Athletics, because a lot of U.S. athletes just know how hard it is to make it overseas all the time,” said high jumper Vashti Cunningham, the U.S. champion since 2017. “It’s just a really big part of our progress … getting more recognition, and more TV time, and even just more support from the outside to help grow the sport.”

She’s also the daughter of Eagles legend Randall Cunningham — and he’s her coach. They’ll both be here, and Vashti is ready for the extra attention that will bring.

“My favorite part about coming to the Penn Relays is just being in Philadelphia, because that’s such a place of history for me, my dad playing on the Eagles for as long as he did,” she said. “And just, like, seeing him get recognized, and the fans that he’s passed down to me — it just feels like I’m living and watching him again, but I’m the athlete.”

How this will play out in the long term remains to be seen, but the short term has plenty to offer.

It’s an Olympic year, which always boosts the Relays’ profile, and this year’s carnival happens to be a week before World Athletics’ World Relays event, an Olympic qualifying meet. Thanks to that, many countries will bring relay teams here — although USA Track and Field notably won’t. The biggest American names who are coming will run in individual events.

“World Athletics asked us, if teams want to get a rehearsal run or try their 4x100 [relay teams], would you make that a possibility? And we said, ‘Of course we would,’” Relays director Steve Dolan said. “Team USA is putting their focus on the World Relays and is not trying to put together a team — that’s not their developmental plan this year. But for those that want to come, we’re so honored to host them.”

More names to know

The men’s 400-meter race will have reigning U.S. champion Bryce Deadmon, who won gold in the 4x400 relay at the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships. He and fellow entrant Ryan Willie will be on the U.S. World Relays 4x4 team.

The mile run will get a lot of attention from track devotees. It’s headlined by Yared Nuguse, who holds the North American indoor and outdoor records at 1,500 meters and one mile. He won last year’s U.S. outdoor 1,500-meter championship and this year’s indoor 3,000-meter run. One of his top competitors will be Oliver Hoare, an Australian Olympian in 2021 who won the 1,500 at the England-based Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The biggest names on the women’s side will be in the 800 and 1,500.

In the 800, fans will recognize Relays regular Ajee’ Wilson, a Temple alumna and perennial competitor in big events. The 1,500 will have Villanova grad Angel Piccirillo, who knows Franklin Field as well as anyone ever will; and Penn grad Nia Akins (speaking of knowing Franklin Field) and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule moving up from the 800.

Akins was the 2023 U.S. indoor and outdoor 800-meter champion and finished third in the 800 indoors this year. Her running the longer distance will be another item to watch with the Olympic trials two months away.

The last piece of the puzzle will be how many fans show up. The pandemic canceled the Relays in 2020 and 2021, which means there hasn’t been a Relays in an Olympic year since 2016. If the crowd this year is big enough to get World Athletics’ attention, hopefully that will push the track world to bring more stars in the future.

“Most of those big races in Europe, you’ll see those stars, but it’s not helping the sport domestically in the States,” Hoare said. “World Athletics stepping up to [the] Penn Relays, such a historic meet, really helps us. Obviously with the ranking points and legitimizing it a little bit, and giving us an opportunity to compete here — but it also helps the young, up-and-coming generation look forward to seeing their athletes.”