Oregon wins the Penn Relays distance medley by a tenth, the closest finish this century
Simeon Birnbaum held off Villanova's Marco Langon on the Franklin Field straight, 9:32.08 to 9:32.18, for Oregon's first Penn DMR title since 2017.
Photograph: Looking down the tunnel into Franklin Field, Philadelphia, home of the Penn Relays, by Phil Roeder, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsOregon won the men's distance medley at the 130th Penn Relays on Friday afternoon in 9:32.08, one tenth of a second ahead of Villanova. Villanova's own release called it the closest finish in the event this century; the last time the top two were within a third of a second was 2012.
Tomas Palfrey, Fuad Omer and James Harding ran the first three legs for Oregon and Simeon Birnbaum took the baton for the 1600 m, six days after his 3:31.69 collegiate 1500 m record at Hayward Field. Oregon led the second half of the race. Villanova's Marco Langon took his baton in sixth place and ran it down: his 4:08.76 anchor was nearly two seconds faster than Birnbaum's 4:10.72 over the same distance, and he was still a tenth short at the line. Dan Watcke's 1:44.25 on Villanova's 800 m leg was the fastest relay split in the programme's history.
It is Oregon's fifth Penn Relays DMR title, after 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2017, and the Ducks had been second the previous three years. Virginia, American, Michigan and defending champion Washington were also in the race.
The winners get the Wheel, a 32-inch bronze plaque of Benjamin Franklin handing a gift to relay runners. Birnbaum held the baton to his ear like a phone afterwards, then hung up.
Penn is not the place to run a fast time. It is the place to win by less than a stride in front of a full Franklin Field, and that is what happened.
Sources: Villanova Athletics; Daily Emerald.
