Thomas Awad is revved up for Penn Relays on his home track

Penn's Thomas Awad opened more than a few eyes last year, not only at Franklin Field but nationally, when he broke the 4-minute barrier in winning the Olympic Development mile run at the Penn Relays.

Now a junior, Awad sounds more excited about this year's carnival because he'll be competing with his teammates on one or more of the relay teams the Quakers will enter on their home track next week.

"It's the Penn Relays and it's all about running with your team," Awad said Wednesday at a news conference in advance of the 121st carnival. "As much fun as it was last year, I really want to put forth a good relay, whatever that may be. I'm not sure what I'm running yet, but I think we can put together some really good relays. Some of the guys have been running really well so it's just exciting to compete."

Awad, of East Norwich, N.Y., took last year's mile in 3 minutes, 58.34 seconds - the second sub-4-minute mile in Penn history - about a month before his 20th birthday.

"It was all about going out, settling in, running smooth, and feeling comfortable," he said. "As the race went, I kind of felt it was my time to move around 250 or 200 [meters] to go to really make a push for the win because I didn't want to be outside at the turn.

"So I just went for it. Then [race runner-up] Mike Rutt gave me a run on the final straightaway and probably got a little ahead of me with 50 meters to go. I was just happy to get the win. That was so exciting."

This year, Awad has raced well at various distances. He captured the Heptagonal indoor championship in the 3,000 meters at 8:05.45. Recently at Stanford, he broke his own school record - by a minute and 15 seconds - in the outdoor 3,000 in 13:33.29, the second-fastest time in Ivy League history.

"He's one of the top runners for his age and it's exciting to watch him develop that quickly," Penn director of track and field Steve Dolan said. "We'll see what happens in the years to come."

Awad has competed at every distance from 1,500 to 10,000 meters. He doesn't know yet if he'll focus on a single distance, but given his rapid progression and since 2016 is an Olympic year, he has an opportunity to do some big things.

"Next year, there's definitely going to be a part of me looking toward the [Olympic] trials," he said. "I just want a shot to go for it. To say I can make the Olympics is kind of a stretch, but just being there and getting the experience racing with the top guys in the country is really what it's all about."

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