PHILADELPHIA — Thousands of individuals from across the world enjoyed picture-perfect conditions while competing at the Penn Relays from Thursday to Saturday. Despite the massive number of competitors, Germantown Academy was well represented. The Patriots not only had entries in the high school division of races, but also in the pole vault, middle school girls 4x100 relay, and a handful of alumni competing in events.

Middle School

Before the Upper School varsity track and field teams took the stage at the Penn Relays on April 24, the Germantown Academy Middle School teams had their chance to compete.

The girls 4x100 relay team of Brynn C '30, Damisi O. ’29, Damini O '29, and Kensi W. ’30 finished their race in 54.25 seconds.

High School

Germantown Academy had boys and girls teams entered in both the 4x400 and 4x100 relays.

On Thursday, April 24, Jet Dickerson ’26, Jason Wilson ’28, Josh Cain ’26 and Evan Badami ’26 won their heat of the boys 4x100 relay in 43.83, the third-fastest time in school history. They pulled away from the field, finishing more than a second ahead of Stann Creek of Belize. Other schools in the heat included Hamilton East (N.J.), Simon Gratz (Pa.), Severna Park (Md.), Northeast (Pa.), Wilberforce (N.J.), Tacony Academy (Pa.) and Saint Ann’s (N.Y.).

Adrian Diem ’25 cleared 14 feet, 8.25 inches in the boys pole vault, finishing eighth in the event. Diem became the first GA pole vaulter to compete in the boys event at Penn Relays since Caleb Johnson in 2019.

Dickerson, Ellis Johnson ’25, Tyler Benson ’27 and Badami ran 3:26.96 in the boys Inter-Ac 4x400, placing fourth out of six teams and recording the third-fastest time in school history.

On Friday and Saturday, the girls teams took the track and delivered strong performances. Jocelyn Germain ’28, Myree Jean-Brian ’27, Lyla Perry ’26 and Piper Loney ’27 ran 50.21 in the girls 4x100 to win their heat. The girls 4x400 team of Annabelle Steckel ’28, Nieve Keitel ’27, Germain and Loney ran a time of 4:05.24, placing third in their heat and recording the second-fastest time in GA history.

Alumni

After the middle school and high school events wrapped up, several Germantown Academy alumni took the stage. Fore Abinusawa ’22 (Penn) and Perry Irons ’21 (William & Mary) both recorded strong performances.

Abinusawa finished second in the women’s 100-meter dash championship with a time of 11.44 seconds, just .02 off the first-place finisher. She also was a member of Penn’s fourth-place 4x100 relay team.

Irons was a member of William & Mary’s 4x800 team that finished fifth in the event in 8:57.30. Irons recorded a split of 2:12.86.