While the 2024-2025 NCAA season has yet to begin, a notable signing has just taken place on the East Coast of the United States for the upcoming school year. A rising star in British middle-distance running, young Matthew McKenna has committed to the University of Pennsylvania.
One of the most promising talents.
On July 21, 2024, the young British athlete (17 years old) became the U18 European Champion in the 800 meters, making him the third Briton to achieve this feat after Max Burgin (2018) and George Mills (2016). At just 17, he seems to perfectly embody the future of British middle-distance running, a nation that has consistently excelled in the 800 to 1500 meters, both for men and women. However, this isn’t even his most impressive accomplishment of the year. Exactly one month later, during a British Millers Club (BMC) race in Watford, McKenna finished fourth with an outstanding time of 1:46.75, well ahead of his previous best of 1:52.91, which earned him the European title. With this performance, he is now the second-fastest U18 European in history, behind his compatriot Max Burgin’s record (1:45.36 in 2019). Globally, McKenna ranks 21st on the all-time list. Even more impressive is the fact that during the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved from his hometown of Aberdeen to Walton-on-Thames, southwest of London. It’s been just over two years since he began high-level athletics, making his performance even more remarkable, as his best time in 2023 was 10 seconds slower.
A signing with a prestigious university.
Matthew McKenna will join the University of Pennsylvania for the 2025-2026 academic year, when he will be 18 years old. The university has recently had strong performances in the American collegiate circuit, with Isaiah Harris winning the NCAA 800-meter championship in 2018. The most recent year saw Ivorian Cheickna Traoré crowned NCAA champion in the 200 meters with a time of 19.95. Moreover, at 17 years old and still not at his physical peak, McKenna’s 1:46.75 would have placed him eighth in the 2023-2024 NCAA final. He is therefore on a trajectory that could quickly propel him to be among the best middle-distance runners in the world. With such potential at his age, the University of Pennsylvania seems like the ideal environment to maximize his development, both on and off the track. At just 17 years old, his time of 1:46.75, already among the best in his category’s history, suggests a bright future where he could compete with the best NCAA athletes and potentially make a mark on the international stage in the coming years.
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