FSU track teams head to Penn

By Corey Clark  DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

It's unlike any meet Charles Clark has ever run.

The Florida State sprinter has competed at the junior nationals, NCAA championships and Olympic trials, but he says none of them compare to what he and a few of his teammates will experience this weekend at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

"To me, it's more exciting than nationals," said Clark, who will be running as a part of FSU's 4x100 relay team. "Because there are thousands and thousands of fans out there. And they love to see great races."

 

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Clark will be one of many current Florida State athletes to take part in the 115th running of the relays.

 

Senior Michael Ray Garvin, freshman Maurice Mitchell and sophomore Brandon Byram will join Clark in the 4x100 (the quartet has the fastest time in the nation this year). Some former FSU sprinter named Dix is expected to compete as well.

"On Saturday," Florida State head coach Bob Braman said, "it could be 40 or 50,000 people in the stands. And it gets loud."

Freshman twins Jonathan and Kevin Borlee will run in the 4x400 relay for the Seminoles, who will compete with many of the top-flight relay teams in the country.

So the weekend will be a good gauge for Florida State, which has won back-to-back-to-back national championships in men's track and field and will be taking a dozen men and eight women to the prestigious meet.

According to Clark and Braman, it will be an experience they'll always remember.

"It's the best relays in America," Clark said. "With the excitement, it's like a bowl game, really."