Phoenix Track & Field

University High at

University

of Pennsylvania

(Penn Relays)

By:Clinton Adu-Agyei

         

Last week University High School boys and girls track team went to the university of Pennsylvania to compete in the annual Penn Relays. The girls team performed really well and planted their seed in history by being the only girls team from Newark to come back home with a top three medal at the 2018 Penn relays. They ran a time of 4:19, with freshman prodigy Tara Johnson splitting a time of .60 seconds. Tamara Johnson split .64, junior Xarial Chandler .67 and freshman Sydney Williams .66.  I asked team captain Tamara Johnson about the victory and she replied,

“We were very motivated as we always are and we knew we had a job to do so we went out and did it, this is an international stage so we were very excited to show out.”

Unlike the girls, the boys didn’t place in the top three but they did come home with a pretty satisfying achievement. The boys track team broke their indoor and outdoor season record with a new time of 3:33.43, First leg senior Brandon Odom split a time of (54.64), senior Caleb Ware split (51.14), senior Daniel Owusu (53.81) senior DaQuan Patterson (53.85) I was able to ask Brandon Odom about his thoughts on the race, with this being his first Penn Relays, “It was very difficult for me because I couldn’t get out properly due to the amount of runners and that heavily affected my time, but i’ve moved on from that and i’m very pleased with our performance. We ran a very good time even with me not running at my best so imagine what we can do on another day. At this point we just have to stay focused and keep improving beyond today.”

It’s safe to say University High girls track team have some bragging rights in the city.