"Michigan's On-Line Running Source"

Site: Franklin Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Event: 104th Penn Relays
Michigan Team Finish: No Team Scoring
Next Meet: Sunday May 3, 1998 -- at Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, OH

Distance Medley Relay Smashes Michigan Record

Philadelphia, PA -- Michigan's distance medley relay foursome followed up John Mortimer's (Londonderry, NH/Londonderry HS) opening night victory in the 3000-meter steeplechase with the race of the year for the Wolverines.

The second Maize and Blue win at the 1998 Penn Relays was as good a relay race as a Michigan team has ran in a long time. The Wolverines outdueled the highly touted Arkansas group to grab the victory in a Michigan record time of 9:27.64. Michigan's previous distance medley record came indoors on March 9, 1996 at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 9:32.28. That Michigan group finished second.

Michigan's current record setting foursome included three seniors and a sophomore. Running the opening leg of 1200-meters was Don McLaughlin (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer HS), who on the initial start tripped and fell, scraping up his legs, but forcing a re-start of the race. McLaughlin came back from his fall to finish the 1200-meters in a quick 2:56.9 and then handed the baton off to Brian Theisen (Ft. Wayne, IN/Homestead HS), who ran the 400-meter leg in a personal best time of 46.3. Next Jay Cantin (Sarnia, ONT/St. Claire Secondary), the lone sophomore, completed the 800-meter leg in 1:48.9 to set up the showdown anchor leg of a mile. Michigan's two-time indoor mile national champion Kevin Sullivan (Brantford, ONT/North Park) came to the final lap in a pack of four. After rival Seneca Lassiter of Arkansas pushed the pace down the stretch, he and Sullivan pulled away with Sullivan ultimately pulling away from Lassiter in convincing fashion, recording a blistering mile pace of 3:55.5.

Notes:

-- Sullivan also anchored the 1996 relay team and previous owner of the Michigan record in the distance medley relay.

-- The distance medley relay is not a Big Ten or NCAA event during the outdoor season.

Assistant Coach Ron Warhurst Quotes

"Wow, what a race. Especially, McLaughlin to come back from his fall and run the 1200-meters like that, he became a runner today. All the guys were just so competitive and really wanted this race in the worst way. Lassiter tried to push the pace on the last lap and when he did, Sullivan just took over."

PENN RELAYS TRACK & FIELD RESULTS

3000-METER STEEPLECHASE
1) Mortimer, John (UM)			8:36.73*

10,000-METER RUN
1) Rono, Elly (So. Indiana)		28:52.91*
11) Snyder, Todd (UM)			29:43.79#
35) Bunt, Chris (UM)			30:33.59

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY
1) Michigan (McLaughlin, Theisen, Cantin, Sullivan)		9:27.64!

4X100-METER RELAY
1) Erie CC 							41.34
6) Michigan (Jenkins, K. Bowman, M. Bowman, Neidzinski)		42.17

4X400-METER RELAY
1) Florida International					3:11.95
9) Michigan (Fuqua, Sellers, Smith, Theisen)			3:20.63

* NCAA automatic qualifier

# NCAA provisional qualifier

! Michigan record

@ Field record

^ meet record