April 30, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Purdue senior Sarah Klaczynski led the Purdue men's and women's track and field teams at the first day of the 25th-annual Jesse Owens Track Classic, hosted by Ohio State University on Friday. She won the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in impressive fashion and was one of two event winners and one of several athletes setting personal records on the day.
Klaczynski topped a talented field, smashing her previous career best by over 14 seconds and climbing to third all-time on the Boilermaker record list. Her mark of 10:30.33 was almost six seconds faster than the second-place finisher, and nearly eight seconds ahead of the second collegian across the line. Klaczynski's mark is good for second in the Big Ten this season and 28th in NCAA Division I, surpassing Kara Lahey on Purdue's all-time event list and closing to within 18 seconds of the Boilermakers' record of 10:12.26 set by Amber Ferner in 2004.
Freshman Alice Feslier Holmes continued the outstanding effort on the distance front, scoring a personal record and 10th-place finish in the women's 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:29.41. Junior Caden Shields improved his season best in the men's 5,000-meter run, crossing the line seventh with a time of 14:30.07. He shaved seven seconds off his top time this season, and came within three seconds of his career-best time in the race. Following up Shields effort on the men's side were freshman Simon Rogers and sophomore Ladd Mercer as they respectively clocked the top two times of the season in the 1,500-meter run. Rogers was 13th overall with a collegiate-best time of 3:50.60, while Mercer was 14th in 3:51.10.
Senior Brianna Neumann and sophomore Elizabeth Stover captured first and third in the women's pole vault as Neumann cleared 4.10 meters (13-05.25) to take the event title, while Stover earned the bronze with a mark of 3.85 meters (12-07.50).
Senior Steve Carlson and sophomores Chris Anderson and Elaine Gilbert posted solid days in the men's and women's javelin throw as Carlson and Anderson were seventh and 10th in the men's event, while Gilbert finished ninth in the women's. Carlson marked 55.90 meters (183-05), Anderson threw 53.45 meters (175-04) and Gilbert tossed 38.03 meters (124-09) as all three posted throws near their season bests.
Competition resumes tomorrow with the field events at 11 a.m.