Olympic gold medalist Gatlin excited for USA-World series

PHILADELPHIA » No one has to sell Justin Gatlin on the Penn Relays. The five-time Olympic medalist and eight-time world championship medalist is a big fan of the carnival.

The 2004 Olympic 100-meter dash champion has been part of the USA vs. World series since its inception in 2003 and was on hand Friday at Franklin Field to promote the 19th running of the event Saturday afternoon 124th Penn Relays.

“My experience has always been that this is what track and field should be,” Gatlin said. “Track and field shouldn’t just be a meet, it should be a festival with people gathering here with their families, masters athletes here as well as grassroots athletes all together.

“Track and field is a community and should be celebrated from that perspective around the world to show that it is the epitome of fitness. So I think a at the lot more meets should be like the Penn Relays and USA vs. World.”

Gatlin is one of the nine athletes in the pool for Team USA in the men’s 4 x 100-meter championship, which is the second event of the six USA vs. World series, which begins with the women’s 4 x 100 at 12:38 p.m.

The men’s 4 x 100 is slated for 12:50 p.m., followed by the women’s and men’s spring medley relays at 2 and 2:10, respectively, and the men’s and women’s 4 x 400 at 2:35 and 2:52.

All the USA vs. World races, as well as several college events including the men’s 4 x mile, will be part of NBCSN’s live broadcast from 12:30-3 p.m.

Gatlin won a bronze medal in the 100 at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He also won bronze at both the 2004 games in Athens and the 2012 London games. The pool for the USA relay teams includes recent world indoor championship competitors Fred Kerley, Michael Cherry and Destiny Carter.

LeShon Collins, who was born in Chester and ran his high school track at Glasgow in Delaware also is in the 4 x 100 pool.

Raevyn Rogers, who was on the USA team that won the gold medal in the 4 x 400 relay at the world indoor champs, is in the women’s relay pool.

Team USA’s biggest competition will come from Jamaica, which has been the case since the series began 19 years ago. Teams from the Bahamas, Canada, Guyana, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago are also in the competition.