The men’s and women’s track and field teams began competition at the Penn Relays yesterday, the most prestigious and challenging meet of the outdoor season.

Hoping to build upon previous successes in the relay events, Georgetown sent several athletes to take part in the four-day competition, which draws over 100,000 spectators. Along with top college runners, the event features some of the world’s most acclaimed Olympic champions, such as American stars Marion Jones and Maurice Greene.

The women’s distance medley relay team turned in a third place performance in the event last year, and have also historically been strong in the 4×1,500m and 4x800m relays, posting victories in the 4x800m in 1996, 1998 and 2000.

Although the Hoyas had the fastest 4x800m time in the nation this indoor season (8:49.29), they will have their hands full with the returning champion Florida Gators.

A talented crop of middle distance runners, including senior All-American Tyrona Heath, graduate student Heather Blackard, junior Jill Laurendeau and sophomore Treniere Clement will look to bring the 4x800m trophy back to the Hilltop, while sophomore Kori Hamilton will join Heath, Blackard and Laurendeau in the distance medley. Graduate student Emily Enstice and junior Erin Sicher will assist Laurendeau and Clement in the 4×1,500m.

Individually, Sicher faces a tough challenge in the Olympic development mile, where she will square off against reigning indoor mile champion Heather Sagan of Liberty and strong performers Carmen Douma, Tracy Robertson and Jill Snyder.

Sophomore Colleen Kelly and junior Allison Snyder are scheduled to race in the 3,000m, while sophomore Sarah Scholl will look to improve upon her Big East qualifying performance in the steeplechase.

Senior Lorena Adams will also attempt to better her current provisionally qualifying time in the 10,000m run.

A pair of NCAA automatic qualifiers, sophomore Jesse O’Connell and graduate student Josh Rollins, are expected to lead the charge on the men’s side.

Rollins will take on NCAA scorers Allen Simms of George Mason, aurice Robinson of Arkansas and Traun Smith of LSU in the triple jump, while O’Connell will join sophomore Ali Najjar and juniors Dylan Welsh and Ezra Richards in the 4x800m relay.

“We’re looking to maintain our tradition in the distance medley and 4x800m and expect to be in the top three in those events,” Associate Head Coach Andrew Valmon said. “We’re also hoping to make it past the trials in the 4x400m.”

In addition to Rollins in the triple jump and the three relay teams, several other Georgetown athletes are also slated to compete, including graduate student Kyle Smits and junior Mike Smith in the 5,000m, junior Ethan Kearns and sophomore Felix Chrobog in the 10,000m and seniors Adam Daniels and Corey Smith in the 3,000m steeplechase.

“It’s a huge distraction,” Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ron Helmer said of the atmosphere. “For some of the athletes it’s a good thing, since it allows us to showcase our depth in front of a lot of people. But for the bulk of our athletes it’s a distraction. It doesn’t relate a whole lot to our goals and what we’re trying to accomplish, and between the crowds, the lack of warm-up space, unpredictable time schedule and weather, it becomes a lot to handle. But for the people that approach it correctly, there are some good lessons to be learned.”