Two key area athletes to watch for at the 127th running of the Penn Relays this April 27-29 are two Olympians, Ajee Wilson and Devon Allen. (Both are 28.) Allen is more than a track stand-out, he is also a wide-receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.
This past Thursday, both Wilson and Allen gave a pre-Penn Relays press conference. Here is a brief look at these two Olympians as they prepare to leave their mark at the upcoming Penn Relays.
Ajee Wilson
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At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wilson finished 12th in the 800 Meter,1:59.75. Then at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (they took place in 2021 due to COVID), Wilson placed 16th in the 800, 200:79.
Last year, at the 2022 North American Central and Caribbean Championships, Wilson won the 800,1:58.47.
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This year at the Penn Relays, Wilson will compete in the 600-meter Olympic development race for the second straight year. According to Penn Relays Media Relations, Wilson will be entering with the top qualifying time of 1:22.39. In addition, she currently ranks fifth in the world for the 800.
Asked how her track training differs this year from previous years, Wilson told this writer:
“This year, I train solo. I wasn’t sure how it would go because I’m teammate - based. I’m used to training with a team.” She emphasized that her training this year has gone quite well. At times, she runs with local friends.
Devon Allen
Like Wilson, Allen also competed at the Olympic Games in both Rio and Tokyo.
In Rio, he was fifth in the 110-hurdles, 13.310, and in Tokyo and he placed fourth, 13.14.
Allen has gotten faster since Tokyo. Last year, he set a Penn Relays record of 13.11 in the 110-hurdles, and then nearly a month and a half later (on June 12) he shattered that time by winning the race in 12.84 at the 2022 USATF NYC Grand Prix. His 12.84 finish is the third fastest finishing time in the world. In addition, last year, Allen signed a contract to play wide-receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles. He did not play in any games last year. He played on the Eagles’ practice team.
“I hope that this year I get to play in games and help the Eagles win,” said Allen.
Being an NFL football player has not hurt his track career. When he attended the University of Oregon, he was a double collegiate athlete where he played football and ran track.
“I’m glad I signed with the Eagles; I missed playing football,” said Allen.
While emphasizing that football did not hurt his track career, he said that this year he had to start his track training at the end of February, which for him was a tad later than usual.
“It couldn’t be helped,” said Allen laughing. “We made it to the Super Bowl, so I was a little busy.”
Allen said that his Eagle teammates are enthusiastic about his track career. Some of them plan to attend the Penn Relays to watch him compete.
