Exeter Relay Team Breaks School Record by 0.32 Seconds

When Riley Benevides, Avery Carrigan, Emma Roeder, and Martelle McBride crossed the finish line at the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday, they didn't just win their race. They made history.

The Exeter High School quartet blazed through the 4x160-meter relay in 1 minute and 27.02 seconds, breaking a school record that had stood since 2020. They beat the previous mark by just under a third of a second, the kind of narrow margin that comes from perfect handoffs and months of grueling practice.

The Wildcat Relays brought out the best in Exeter's entire girls track team. Another foursome, Grace McIlroy, Danica Caron, Eli Cross, and Madie Poteet, swept two events in one day by winning both the 4x800 and 4x400 meter relays.

The long jump relay team claimed first place too, with Martelle McBride leading the group with a 16-foot-10.5-inch leap. Claire Ahern and Rowan DeCew rounded out the winning trio.

Two more relay teams earned podium finishes. The 55-meter hurdle squad grabbed second place, while the 55-meter dash team took third.

Why This Inspires

High school athletics give young people a chance to discover what they're capable of when they push themselves. These runners didn't just show up and hope for the best. They trained together, trusted each other through every baton pass, and chased a record that older teammates set six years ago.

Breaking records matters because it reminds us that limits are meant to be tested. What seemed impossible in 2020 became the new standard in 2026 because four determined athletes believed they could do better.

Their success shows the power of building on what came before while creating something entirely new.