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Eli Hall-Thompson leads the way for Cougars on final day of Penn Relays


History was on the agenda as the Cougar men's track & field team started the final day of the Penn Relays. It had been 27 years since Head Coach Leroy Burrell set the 100m meet record at 10.10s and 28 years since the Cougars had won a relay at Penn. The Cougars were in prime position to make history in both events as three of their relay teams had qualified for their respective finals and three of the eight 100m finalists were members of the Cougar track & field team.

Junior Eli Hall-Thompson qualified for the 100m final with the fastest time overall, 10.14s. He improved his time, running 10.00s to win the event. This marks the second straight 100m Penn Relays championship for the Cougars after LeShon Collins' victory in 2016.

Were it not for the race taking place in non-legal wind conditions, Hall-Thompson's time would have been the new Penn record. His time is currently No. 5 in the country.

Sophomore's Mario Burke and John Lewis III joined Hall-Thompson in the 100m final. Burke ran a season best 10.17s to finish third. His time puts him in a tie for No. 12 in the NCAA. Lewis III placed sixth with a time of 10.34s.

The Relays

After the men's 4x100m relay team of junior Cameron Burrell, Burke, sophomore Jacarias Martin and Hall-Thompson ran the fastest qualifying time, hopes were high that the men could win the Cougar's first relay championship since 1989.

However on the day of the final the Cougars were the only team to receive a DNF in the race. But the day was far from over as the men still had the 4x200 and 4x400 to run in.

In the 4x200m, the Cougars won the relay with a time of 1:21.17s. Burke, Martin and Hall-Thompson were joined by sophomore Amere Lattin. Hall-Thompson ran the anchor leg to help beat G.C. Foster College.

The Cougars may have only managed a fourth place finish in the 4x400m relays, but their goal had been accomplished. With their victory in the 4x200m the Cougars had won their first Penn Relays championship since Coach Burrell and company won the 4x100m in 1989.

For his victory in the 100m, the Penn Relays named Hall-Thompson the College Men's Athlete of the Meet for Individual Events. He will be a key presence for the Cougar's quest for a second straight American Conference Outdoor Championship and a national title in the 4x100m relay.

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Photo's courtesy of Penn Relays Facebook page

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