Jan. 12, 2002
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue track and field team began the season with an impressive showing in the Purdue Open.
"One of the goals we as coaches set for the team was to start this meet at the same performance level we ended with at the intersquad meet," head coach Lissa Olson said. "I am very encouraged about the performances across the board. I am very excited and I think our level of competition will rise as the level competition we compete against increases."
The men's throwers went one, two and three in the weight throw. Junior Keith McBride won with a toss of 19.32m. Classmate Scott Hecht was second with a mark of 17.69 and rookie John Paul Smolenski was a close third with a mark of 17.66. Senior Nicholas Swathwood won the shot put with a throw of 18.11m. Junior Scott Hecht placed second with a throw of 17.05m.
Juniors Kim Jordan and Kelly Van Abeele picked up first and second place victories in the 800m run with respective times of 2:10.50 and 2:15.90. The Boilermakers took the top spots in both the men's and women's 5,000m run competition. Rookie Lindsay Zinn and senior Ann Stechshulte speared the women, while Donnie Fellows and Geoff Fleming were the top performances for the men.
Senior Pooh Williams and junior Simona Kovacic reigned in the pole vault events. Williams, returning from a medical redshirt season, dominated his field with a mark of 4.93m. Kovacic reached a height of 3.65m.
All-American, sophomore Daniel Harris won the men's triple jump with a mark of 15.55m, while senior Janelle Johnson won the triple jump with a mark of 11.61m. All-American, junior Shaun Guice and senior Ryan Fitzpatric claimed the first two spots in the high jump.
Sophomore Kenneth Baxter won the 200m dash with ease with a time of 21.80. He was also a member of the men's 4x400m relay team that won with a time of 3:27.72. Both the men's and women's distance medley relay teams won with respective times of 10:19.93 and 12:26.56.
The Boilermakers will compete at Iowa on January 19 and return home on January 25 to face Indiana State.