Western Colorado University’s outdoor track and field teams finished off opening day of the Maverick Invite on April 3 with a number of career-best marks.
Logan Butterfield and Anthony Avila placed second and third in the men's hammer throw, and each recorded personal records in the event.
Butterfield's fourth toss soared 56.36 meters, and Avila's fifth attempt traveled 49 meters to earn top-three finishes. Butterfield continues to hunt down the university’s all-time record, and currently holds the second-place spot in Western’s history.
In the first event on Thursday, a pair of Mountaineers raced to PRs in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Jayda Nix placed fourth in the women's race in a time of 11 minutes, 15.23 seconds, and Joseph Houdeshell tied his career best in the men's race with his fourth-place time of 9:58.96.
The 5000 meter run also produced a few individual records. The Mountaineer women ran to a fourth through seventh place, and two of those runners hit personal bests.
Haley Wood's fifth-place time of 17:53.08 and Lacey Kunz' seventh-place time of 18:19.57 shattered personal times. Fourth place Gretchen Slattum came less than four seconds off her PR, and Emma Berg was less than two seconds off her top time.
In the men's 5000, Oliver Diaz won the event with a time of 14:48.91, notching the second fastest time in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference so far this outdoor season. Kyle Partin took second with the third-fastest 5000 in the RMAC.
The pole vault and long jump events also provided top finishes by Western competitors. Aaleiah Porter-Gyll and Sophie Varela took first and second in the women's pole vault, both clearing a height of 3.15 meters. Varela took second on one extra miss during the competition.
Mountaineers finished second through fifth place in the men’s vault, led by Max Kittsteiner. Robert Letsche placed third, tied with Jake Gash who cleared a personal record height, and Ben Ford in fifth.
Gabi Huggins won the women's long jump with a best leap of 5.63 meters, less than an inch off her individual record, while teammate Emma Alford placed fifth.
(Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here