April 23, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams got off to a strong start at the Jesse Owens Track Classic on Saturday, hosted by Ohio State University at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Boilermakers put forth seven season-best efforts on the opening day of competition and had 10 individuals place in the top-eight of their respective events.
Sophomore Kylie Hermanson and junior Elaine Gilbert got the meet underway in successful fashion in the women's javelin, finishing seventh and eighth with season-best efforts. Hermanson tossed a career best 37.45 meters (122-10), edging out Gilbert for seventh place by a centimeter as her junior teammate threw 37.44 meters (122-10). Junior Chris Anderson finished fourth on the men's side of the javelin, tossing 59.10meters (193-11).
Senior Bill Hardcastle threw just shy of his season best in the men's discus, marking 52.37 meters (171-10) to take sixth place, while junior Terri Anderson posted a similar performance in the women's discus, just missing her season and career bests with a throw of 52.13 meters (171-00), good for fourth place. Senior Stacey Wannemacher was just short of her season best the women's discus as well, finishing seventh at 47.90 meters (157-02).
The Boilermakers got top-eight showings and season-best efforts in the men's and women's 1,500-meter runs as junior Ladd Mercer turned in the top men's time by a Boilermaker this season at 3:51.76 to finish eighth, while sophomore Camille Buscomb ran 4:32.32 to take eighth on the women's side. Freshman Stephen Schulz placed fifth in the men's 5,000-meter run, crossing the line in 14:33.02 as the top Big Ten runner in the field, and sophomore Scott Lasiter capped a solid distance performance in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, taking fourth with a season-best time of 9:10.05.
Competition resumes tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. with the men's pole vault and men's hammer throw. Events begin on the track at noon with the women's 4x100-meter relay.