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Villanova women, Jamaican runners win big at Penn Relays

    By
  • Jonathan Wilson
    • May 1, 2017
  • The triumphant Villanova women's 4-by-1500 relay team hold their plaque aloft after winning the event.

    The triumphant Villanova women's 4-by-1500 relay team hold their plaque aloft after winning the event. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Villanova's Angel Piccirillo is challenged by Stanford's Malika Waschmann during the second leg of the college women's 4-by-1500 Championship of America Invitational. The Villanova women won the race with a time of 17:25.85.

    Villanova's Angel Piccirillo is challenged by Stanford's Malika Waschmann during the second leg of the college women's 4-by-1500 Championship of America Invitational. The Villanova women won the race with a time of 17:25.85. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, second from right, is helped off of the track after briefly collapsing at the end of the race. The women won the race with a time of 17:25.85.

    Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, second from right, is helped off of the track after briefly collapsing at the end of the race. The women won the race with a time of 17:25.85. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Edwin Allen's team celebrates after winning the the high school girls' 4-by-100 Championship of America. The team from Clarendon, Jamaica, won the race with a Penn Relays record time of 43.96 seconds.

    Edwin Allen's team celebrates after winning the the high school girls' 4-by-100 Championship of America. The team from Clarendon, Jamaica, won the race with a Penn Relays record time of 43.96 seconds. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Edwin Allen's Shellece Clarke passes the baton to Patrice Moody in the anchor leg of the high school girls' 4-by-100 Championship of America. The team from Clarendon, Jamaica, won the race with a Penn Relays record time of 43.96 seconds.

    Edwin Allen's Shellece Clarke passes the baton to Patrice Moody in the anchor leg of the high school girls' 4-by-100 Championship of America. The team from Clarendon, Jamaica, won the race with a Penn Relays record time of 43.96 seconds. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Fans supporting Vere Technical School in Clarendon, Jamaica, cheer as the girls team takes first place in the high school girls' 4-by-100 small school race with a time of 45.68 seconds.

    Fans supporting Vere Technical School in Clarendon, Jamaica, cheer as the girls team takes first place in the high school girls' 4-by-100 small school race with a time of 45.68 seconds. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Runners head down the straightaway in the college men's distance medley.

    Runners head down the straightaway in the college men's distance medley. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • University of Connecticut's Stephon Henry clears the last hurdle in the first heat of the college men's 110-meter hurdles. Henry placed 10th overall.

    University of Connecticut's Stephon Henry clears the last hurdle in the first heat of the college men's 110-meter hurdles. Henry placed 10th overall. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • With temperatures in the mid-80s, long and triple jump official Eric J. Miller keeps the sun off.

    With temperatures in the mid-80s, long and triple jump official Eric J. Miller keeps the sun off. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Oklahoma University's Olivia Haggerty edges out Notre Dame's Summer Thorpe in the college women's 100-meter hurdle heats.

    Oklahoma University's Olivia Haggerty edges out Notre Dame's Summer Thorpe in the college women's 100-meter hurdle heats. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Adam Franklin of the University of Rhode Island warms up prior to the College Men's 400-meter hurdles championship. Franklin placed 8th in the event.

    Adam Franklin of the University of Rhode Island warms up prior to the College Men's 400-meter hurdles championship. Franklin placed 8th in the event. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Runners take off from the starting line of the high school boys' 4-by-800 large school race.

    Runners take off from the starting line of the high school boys' 4-by-800 large school race. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • William Tennent High School's Dayshone Farmer takes the baton for the anchor leg of the high school boys' 4-by-100 large school heat.

    William Tennent High School's Dayshone Farmer takes the baton for the anchor leg of the high school boys' 4-by-100 large school heat. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Franklin Township, New Jersey, runner Tyler Howard speeds toward the finish line in the high school boys' 4-by-100 large school, heat.

    Franklin Township, New Jersey, runner Tyler Howard speeds toward the finish line in the high school boys' 4-by-100 large school, heat. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Abraham Clark's Josh Fitts passes the baton to Backley Jean during the high school boys' 4-by-100 small school heats. The Roselle, New Jersey, school turned in a time of 43.91 seconds.

    Abraham Clark's Josh Fitts passes the baton to Backley Jean during the high school boys' 4-by-100 small school heats. The Roselle, New Jersey, school turned in a time of 43.91 seconds. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Voorhees College's Stephen Dishmond lands in the long jump pit during the college men's long jump championship. Dishmond placed 10th.

    Voorhees College's Stephen Dishmond lands in the long jump pit during the college men's long jump championship. Dishmond placed 10th. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Youngstown State's Chandler Killins competes in the college women's triple jump.

    Youngstown State's Chandler Killins competes in the college women's triple jump. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Oregon's Ariana Washington takes the baton from Makenzie Dunmore to win the college women's 4-by-100 Championship of America in 42.35 seconds.

    Oregon's Ariana Washington takes the baton from Makenzie Dunmore to win the college women's 4-by-100 Championship of America in 42.35 seconds. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Penn's Nathan Fisher cleared 15 feet 5 inches inches in the men's pole vault.

    Penn's Nathan Fisher cleared 15 feet 5 inches inches in the men's pole vault. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Upper Darby High School runners warm up prior to the start of Friday's Penn Relays.

    Upper Darby High School runners warm up prior to the start of Friday's Penn Relays. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

The Villanova women earned top honors in the 4-by-1500-meter race at the Penn Relays, officially known as the Penn Relay Carnival, which celebrated its 123rd year.

The relays are one of track and field’s premier events. This year, teams came from 225 colleges and universities from 30 states. More than 1,000 high and middle school athletes from 20 states took part.

The always strong presence of Jamaican athletes was clear with Jamaican high school athletes from Holmwood Tech and Vere Technical in Clarendon, Jamaica, each winning a Championship of America race.

On Friday, the University of Oregon and Villanova were among the standouts in the college ranks. Villanova’s Angel Piccirillo notched her eighth relays victory in her final appearance as a student athlete.

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