CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Purdue track & field team completed the Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays with a victory and two third-place finishes on Saturday at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Illinois.
Competing in a total of six events on Saturday, the Boilermakers were led by freshman Vinajah Adderley's first collegiate win and third-place showings from sophomore Alexis Zatta and the women's 4x100 relay team.
Adderley's victory was in the open triple jump. Her winning mark of 11.66 meters, a career-record, came on her fourth jump and bested Wisconsin's second-place finisher by 0.10 meters.
The final event for the Boilermakers was the 4x100-meter relay, where Purdue finished third. Freshmen Saran Kouyeth, K'ja Talley and Naomi Campbell and sophomore Camille Christopher ran a season-best time of 45.48 seconds. It is the third-fastest mark in the Big Ten this year.
Zatta was third in the high jump, as she cleared 1.70 meters to record her third consecutive top-three finish in the event. Additionally, sophomore Mackenzie Barrett was eighth with a jump of 1.65m.
Freshman Simi Akinrinsola recorded a personal-best throw in the open shot put. She placed fourth overall with a mark of 13.00 meters, which topped her previous PR of 13.00m.
To begin the day, freshman Johnny Vanos was sixth in the hammer throw with a mark of 56.39 meters.
Additionally, the men's 4x800 relay team was sixth, as freshman Ian Hunter, junior Kyle Griffith, sophomore John Pieper and freshman Luke Upton finished in 7:39.13.
This weekend's Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays officially opened the new Demirjian Park, and Illinois' new facility will host the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships next month.
On Friday's opening day of competition, Purdue notched four second-place finishes, had three third-place showings and added 14 personal-best marks. Christopher led the way as she was second in the 200 and fifth in the 100. Senior Jaden Mattox (open long jump) and freshmen Marcellus Moore (200m) and Ian Shaw (5,000) also earned runner-up finishes on Friday. A complete recap can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
Up next, Purdue travels to a pair of meets next weekend, with the Jesse Owens Invitational in Columbus, Ohio, from April 30-May 1, and the Big Ten Indiana Invitational No. 4 in Bloomington, Indiana, on May 1.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Competing in a total of six events on Saturday, the Boilermakers were led by freshman Vinajah Adderley's first collegiate win and third-place showings from sophomore Alexis Zatta and the women's 4x100 relay team.
Adderley's victory was in the open triple jump. Her winning mark of 11.66 meters, a career-record, came on her fourth jump and bested Wisconsin's second-place finisher by 0.10 meters.
The final event for the Boilermakers was the 4x100-meter relay, where Purdue finished third. Freshmen Saran Kouyeth, K'ja Talley and Naomi Campbell and sophomore Camille Christopher ran a season-best time of 45.48 seconds. It is the third-fastest mark in the Big Ten this year.
Zatta was third in the high jump, as she cleared 1.70 meters to record her third consecutive top-three finish in the event. Additionally, sophomore Mackenzie Barrett was eighth with a jump of 1.65m.
Freshman Simi Akinrinsola recorded a personal-best throw in the open shot put. She placed fourth overall with a mark of 13.00 meters, which topped her previous PR of 13.00m.
To begin the day, freshman Johnny Vanos was sixth in the hammer throw with a mark of 56.39 meters.
Additionally, the men's 4x800 relay team was sixth, as freshman Ian Hunter, junior Kyle Griffith, sophomore John Pieper and freshman Luke Upton finished in 7:39.13.
This weekend's Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays officially opened the new Demirjian Park, and Illinois' new facility will host the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships next month.
On Friday's opening day of competition, Purdue notched four second-place finishes, had three third-place showings and added 14 personal-best marks. Christopher led the way as she was second in the 200 and fifth in the 100. Senior Jaden Mattox (open long jump) and freshmen Marcellus Moore (200m) and Ian Shaw (5,000) also earned runner-up finishes on Friday. A complete recap can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
Up next, Purdue travels to a pair of meets next weekend, with the Jesse Owens Invitational in Columbus, Ohio, from April 30-May 1, and the Big Ten Indiana Invitational No. 4 in Bloomington, Indiana, on May 1.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.