On Athletes Celebrate at Penn Relays 2024
With dominating performances in the men’s mile, a nail-biting 1500m women’s win, and more outstanding performances by On athletes, the 2024 Penn Relays is one to remember for the On Athletics Club
Philadelphia, United States, April 29, 2024 - This past weekend, at the 128th edition of the Penn Relays, OAC Athletes set new records, won, and finished on the podium.
Living up to the expectations, Yared Nuguse (US) won the men’s Olympic Development mile, breaking a 50-year-old record by crossing the finish line in 3:51.06. Fellow On Athletics Club teammate Oliver Hoare (AUS) followed behind closely, crossing the line in 3:51.28 and claiming second place. Eric Holt (US) rounded off the podium, finishing at 3:51.46, resulting in all three finishers going under the Franklin Fiel record set by Eamonn Coghlan (IRE) in 1979.
Just minutes before the double win for the Nuguse and Hoare, fellow OAC athlete Sage Hurta-Klecker (US) took to the track in the women’s 1500m final. With a firm kick in the last 400m, Hurta-Klecker edged fellow American Helen Schlachtenhaufen to the finish and took home the win in 4:07.10.
She said after the race: “I felt good for a lot of it, but I wasn’t as locked in as I hoped,” Hurta-Klecker said. “I just really wanted to rely on the strength that I have and my kick and just go out there and win it.”
In the men’s 800m, Mario Garcia Romo (ESP) finished second behind Festus Lagat of Kenya. Returning from an injury sustained in the winter period, Sinta Vissa (IT) finished eighth in the women's 800m race.
Reflecting on the athletes’ performances across the weekend, Dathan Ritzenhein, head coach of On Athletics Club, was happy with the results and excited to see athletes coming back from injury ahead of the outdoor track season:
“Across the board, everyone looked really really good. We love the atmosphere here, it's a lot of fun. It’s a great way for us to kick off the outdoor season .”
You can find high-resolution images for editorial purposes here © On.
Recently announced NIL signing and On’s first high school singing Addison Ritzenhein came away with a dominant win at the high school girls' 3000m race, clocking a near-meet record time of 9:17.81. Ritzenhein has broken through as one of the US's brightest talents, winning a national cross-country title at the end of 2023 and having a nearly flawless high school season with seven wins and the eighth-fastest 5k performance in the country.
The Penn Relays
The Penn Relays is the oldest track meet in the United States. It welcomes 15,000 athletes to Franklin Field in Philadelphia on the last Saturday in April and the two days preceding that. Fans attending the relay are invited to watch more than 300 events over the course of the Penn Relays. High schools, colleges, and track clubs from across North America and abroad descend upon Franklin Field hoping to win the prestigious title of Penn Relays Champion.
RESULTS
- Yared Nuguse, Mile, 1st (3:51.06)
- Oliver Hoare, Mile, 2nd (3:51.28)
- Sage Hurta-Klecker, 1500m, 1st (4:07.10)
- Mario Garcia Romo, 800m, 2nd (1:47.18)
- Sintayehu Vissa, 800m, 8th (2:05.85)
- Chloe Abbott, 400m, 6th (53.83)
- Addison Ritzenhein, girls 3000m, 1st (9:17.81)
About On
On was born in the Swiss Alps in 2010 with the mission to ignite the human spirit through movement – a mission that still guides the brand today. Fourteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, training, all-day activities and tennis. On’s award-winning CloudTec® innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides within the circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fan base – inspiring humans to explore, discover and Dream On.
On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on.com.