Kenny Relovsky, a junior from Ringwood, NJ, competes for Swarthmore track and field. He runs various events and has shown onlookers his abilities over the course of three seasons. He has career bests in the 800m (1:54.38), 1500m (3:55.89), the mile (4:16.63), and the 3000m (8:37.05). He has also received numerous awards during his time at Swarthmore, such as 4x USTFCCCA All-Metro Region, 2x All-Centennial First Team in outdoor and indoor, All-Centennial Second team (indoor), and USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete for 2025. Some of his conference championship accolades include third place in the 4x800m relay (7:43.85) and competing in the 1500m during the 2025 outdoor season. He also competed in the 2025 indoor conference championship, winning the distance medley relay (10:12.04) and competing in the mile and 4x400m relay. On top of this, during his 2024 outdoor season, Relovsky was on Swarthmore’s winning 4×800-meter relay (7:50.62) and competed in the 1500 and 4x400m relay. And finally — during his first season of collegiate track and field — he competed in the mile, 4x400m relay, and the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) at the Conference Championships. Relovsky has already created a legacy on Swarthmore’s men’s track and field team and he still has another year (or around two and a half seasons) ahead of him.
Katie Kerman: Congratulations on your recent Centennial Track and Field Athlete of the Week selection. How does it feel to receive this distinction for the second time?
Kenny Relovsky: It was an honor to receive the recognition again. The 800m discipline has been one that I have been struggling to perfect, especially in the early season, so to go out there and execute after a long week of training was super rewarding.
KK: Can you tell me about the recent Danny Curran Invite and how your events felt? How has transitioning from indoor to outdoor been for you and all the mid-distance runners?
KR: In all honesty, the Danny Curran Invite was a rough race. The conditions were poor and I didn’t race as well as I knew I could. I hold myself to high standards, so when a race doesn’t go my way, it only motivates me to perform better in my next opportunity. In terms of the transition from indoor to outdoor, our mid-distance group has been itching to get back on the outdoor track. Indoor track is fun, but nothing beats a warm spring day training under the sun.
KK: What are some of the mid-distance men’s goals for this outdoor season and how did you all feel that the previous indoor season went?
KR: Our middle-distance squad really prides themselves on relays during both the indoor and outdoor season. During my time at Swarthmore, I have been a part of five medaling relays, three of which were named to All-Region selections. This speaks to the drive that our middle-distance squad has — a group of athletes who are always working hard and not afraid to leave their comfort zone.
In terms of goals for the upcoming season, we hope to win the 4x800m at the Conference Championship meet this May. The 4x800m is one of the most exciting events of the weekend, as runners across all disciplines assemble to help give their team the best chance at gold. The middle-distance guys, including myself, are all super excited to get that opportunity to compete and will be training until then, building fitness to give us the best chance to win.
KK: Now, as a junior going into your second to last outdoor season, what lessons have you learned over your three previous seasons?
KR: Over the last three seasons, the biggest lesson that I have learned is that progress is not always linear. The measure of defining progress is looking at the bigger picture, asking yourself, “Have I improved in the last year? In the last three years?” If the answer is yes, then you are doing something right. It is so easy to get caught up in day-to-day losses and successes, but it’s also imperative to keep your head level while trying to achieve a goal. I have learned that setbacks are a part of the journey and that they only make you stronger in the long run.
KK: Do you have any unique pre-meet traditions, if so, when did you start doing this ritual?
KR: Yes, my teammates and I typically cook a pre-meet pasta dinner. It’s super simple but always a good time hanging out with friends the night before a big meet.
KK: What is your pre-meet go-to musical artist, album, or song?
KR: I usually listen to the same couple of songs right before I race to get my mind focused. The typical artists include 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and Drake.
KK: What are you studying academically, and what have you learned from being a varsity athlete at an academically rigorous school?
KR: I am studying engineering and applied mathematics, with the goal of pursuing a Ph.D in structural engineering after graduating from Swarthmore. Being a student-athlete at an academically intense institution like Swarthmore has taught me to be really intentional with my decisions. Time is an extremely valuable commodity, and being a student-athlete requires me to structure my life in a way that I can prioritize things that are truly valuable to me.
