January 26, 2010

Track and Field Sprints to Victories at Upstate, Penn State Events

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The track and field teams both had very strong performances over the winter break, capturing the men’s and women’s titles at the Upstate Challenge, hosted at Barton Hall last Saturday. The teams also performed well earlier during the break, setting new records and placing well at the Penn State Open on Jan. 16.

Both teams displayed their depth and talent in many events at the Penn State Open. The Red won some events, set records and had many athletes placing in the top-10.

The men’s team scored 285 points in the competition against Buffalo, Ithaca College, Cortland, Colgate and Syracuse. Track and field athletes alike excelled, with senior captain Duane Teixeira winning the long jump and notching second place in the triple jump. Sophomores Nick Huber and Josh Cusick placed first and second, respectively, in the heptathlon. Senior Richard Zamora won first place in the pole vault, while senior Gary Jones placed first in the triple jump and third in the long jump. Sophomore Bob Belden and freshman Mike Murphy placed third and fourth, respectively, in the shot put.

For the track events, senior captain Mike Kippins won the 800m race. Freshman Jedidiah Adarquah-Yiadon ran a 6.90 –– fourth best in Cornell history –– in the 60m dash for first place. Sophomore Chase Aaronson and junior Brian Tan followed closely behind in the 60m dash with second and third-place finishes, respectively. Junior Cody Boyd took first place in the 400m dash with a 49.79. Freshmen David McCuiston and Will McFall and sophomore Chris Jakobson swept the top three places in the 1000m run.

The women’s team scored 279 points in a field that included Ithaca College, Buffalo, Colgate, Cortland and Syracuse. Sophomore Melissa Hewitt placed first in the 60m and 200m dashes. Senior captain Jessica Weyman and senior Kate Backel took second and third, respectively, in the 200m dash and also went Nos. 1, 2, respectively, in the 400m. Senior Megan Williams and freshman Libby O’Brien took first and second in the 500m dash. Junior Kim Strandridge finished first in the 1 mile run, and sophomore Molly Glantz took first place in the 800m run. Junior Kim Lienhoop placed first in the long jump.

On the men’s side, freshman Nick Wade broke a Cornell and freshman record in the 1000m run with a 2:23:99 to place fourth. Just as they did in the Upstate Challenge, Jones took first place and Teixeira took second in the triple jump, as more than 25 Red athletes placed in the top-10.

The women’s team also placed more than 25 athletes in the top-10. Weyman set a new meet record by running a 1:13:31 in the 500m dash. The team did well in the long distance events, especially the relays. The 4×800 relay team took third place, while the 4×400 relay team finished in fifth. Sophomore Samantha Brody placed fourth in the pole vault and is now ranked sixth among Cornell pole vaulters.

Original Author: Wankyu Lee