April 25, 2003
Complete Day 1 Results of the Boilermaker Invitational in PDF Format
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue's track and field athletes split up in three different directions Friday with all groups experiencing some degree of success. The Boilermaker coaching staff dispatched its top performers to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia and to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, while another group braved the frigid temperatures at Rankin Track and Field for the Boilermaker Invitational.
In Philadelphia, the Purdue sprint relay team of Kenneth Baxter, Jamar Green, Jacques Reeves and Prentice Stovall qualified for Saturday's 4x100 and 4x200 meter championship races. The 4x100 squad placed first in its heat and 6th overall, timing in at 40.33 seconds. The 4x200 quartet finished eighth overall with a mark of 1:24.06.
Nedzad Mulabegovic showed no rust in his first performance of the outdoor season. Mulabegovic's effort of 61 feet, 9 1/2 inches in the shot put established a new season best for the Boilermakers and placed him third overall in the shot put championships. His NCAA regional qualifying mark was also just 1 1/2 feet short of his school record of 63-3 1/4.
Scott Hecht won the college men's shot put title at Penn with a mark of 58-4 3/4. The junior, who has won every shot put competition this season, is currently riding a four meet victory streak.
Chris White posted a new personal record in the shot put, with an NCAA regional qualifying launch of 54-9 1/4. His sixth-place mark topped his previous record by two feet.
At the Drake Relays, Tiffany Britten placed sixth in the shot put with an effort of 46-7 1/2, which is a season and personal best. Britten's mark also qualified her for a spot at the NCAA Regional Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The junior is the 18th Boilermaker this season to qualify for the regional meet.
Krissy Liphardt placed third in the 100 hurdles with a season best mark of 14.16 seconds and later finished 15th in the 400 hurdles at 1:01.61.
The cool temperatures in West Lafayette provided the Boilermakers' distance runners with a comfortable environment, with many of them doubling in the fall as cross country runners. David Rae and Michial Jacob finished one-two in the 10,000, with Rae coming across first in 31:01.70; Jacob crossed the line in 31:33.92. Jason Carlson took fourth at 31:59.50.
The women's 3,000 steeplechase tandem of Caitlin Baird and Kaleena Cappel captured the top two spots. Baird placed first at 11:02.94 and Cappel followed close behind at 11:04.94.
The afternoon session at Rankin Track and Field ended well after sundown. Despite the dark conditions, hammer thrower Courtney Magnuson was still able to register a distance of 161-06, which was good for second place.
The second and final day of competition at the Boilermaker Invite starts Saturday at 11 a.m. with the men's and women's javelin throw. Assistant coach Carri Long will be the only Boilermaker in action Saturday at the Drake Relays when she attempts to win another high jump title. She won earlier in the season at the Sea Ray Relays.
A majority of Purdue's roster will be in action Saturday at the Penn Relays. Both the 4x100 and 4x200 teams will compete in their respective championship races; Shaun Guice takes to the air in the high jump championships; Mulabegovic is entered into the discus championships, while his throwing colleagues Hecht, Igor Kirin, J.P. Smolenski and Keith McBride look to win the hammer throw title.