CHICAGO – A pair of top-10 marks in program history were set by the Purdue track & field team on the opening day of the Windy City Invitational on Friday in Chicago at the Track & Field Center at Gately Park.
Senior Johnny Vanos improved his sixth-best mark in the weight throw, while fellow senior Blake Selm entered the top-10 in the 5,000m. As they each placed second in their events, they notched two of the 12 personal-best marks set by Boilermakers on the first day of the two-day, 10-team meet.
In one of the first events of the day, Vanos was second in the weight throw with a mark of 21.03 meters. The fifth-best throw in the Big Ten this season, he continues to rank No. 6 in school history, as he bested his previous PR of 20.77m. Three of Vanos' throws passed 20.70m, and his first career mark over 21.00m came on his sixth and final attempt to secure a second-place finish.
The opening event on the track was the 5,000m, where all three Boilermakers finished in the top five with some of the fastest times I the Big Ten this season. Selm paced the way for Purdue in second place with a time of 14:11.39, which is 10th-fastest in the school record books and eighth-fastest in the Big Ten this season. Senior Alek Fleming was fourth in 14:14.21, as he improved his PR by more than 12 seconds. Right behind him in fifth was fifth-year senior Bailey McIntire, who finished in 14:15.16. Fleming and McIntire ran the 10th- and 11th-fastest times in the league this year to go along with Selm's time at No. 8.
Nine Boilermakers advanced from the prelims to the semifinal in the 60m, six men and three women, and both women moved on in the 60m hurdles. The semifinal and final of the men's and women's 60m and 60m hurdles will be contested on Saturday afternoon.
Six of the nine men who raced in the 60m prelims qualified for the semis, led by senior Antonio Mitchell III who posted the fastest time of 7.78 seconds. Sophomore Tyneilus Morrow was fourth overall (6.92), followed by freshman Ezra Lewellen with a personal-best 6.93 to place sixth and junior Justin Becker (6.94, 7th). Fifth-year senior Tamar Greene with a season-best mark (7.07, 11th) and sophomore Henry H.L. Lewis (7.12, 13th) also moved on to Saturday's semifinals.
In the women's 60m, three of five Boilermakers moved on. Junior Kerris Roberts led the way for Purdue with a 7.49 to place sixth, followed by junior Saran Kouyeth (7.53, 8th) and senior Camille Christopher (season-best 7.57, 11th).
Junior Jayla Ellis ran a season-best 8.72 to finish third in the 60m hurdle prelims, and sophomore K'Ja Talley was sixth (8.77). The pair made it a perfect two-for-two for Boilermakers who ran in the prelims and advanced to the semifinal in the final.
The final event of the day for Purdue was the 200m. Christopher finished sixth in 24.00, a season-best time and tied for fourth-fastest in the Big Ten in 2022. Roberts was eighth in 24.13. For the men, Becker also was sixth in a personal-best 21.45. Morrow was eighth in 21.60.
To open the day, sophomore Gage Ernsberger was fifth in the high jump (1.95m), while sophomore LJ Hill was fifth in the long jump (6.96m). Freshman Anne Busse added a fifth-place finish in the pole vault (3.55m).
Additionally, Lewellen (22.33, 200m), senior Amir Harris (21.80, 200m), juniors Saran Kouyeth (24.54, 200m) and Annamaria Leszczynska (25.33, 200m), sophomores Naomi Campbell (25.21, 200m) and Emily Kim (5.33m, long jump) and freshman Owen Schafer (22.61, 200m) also added personal-bests on Friday.
On Saturday, action commences with running events at noon ET / 11 a.m. CT and field events at 12:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 p.m. CT. The meet concludes with the women's and men's 4x400 relays, scheduled to start at 4:41 p.m. ET / 3:41 p.m. CT.
Fans can follow along from Chicago with live results and the meet schedule, while tickets are available at TicketWeb.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including heat sheets and direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
The Windy City Invitational field features host-Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Howard, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Tulsa and USF. Twenty-five men and 23 women will compete for the Old Gold and Black at the two-day meet.
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.
Senior Johnny Vanos improved his sixth-best mark in the weight throw, while fellow senior Blake Selm entered the top-10 in the 5,000m. As they each placed second in their events, they notched two of the 12 personal-best marks set by Boilermakers on the first day of the two-day, 10-team meet.
In one of the first events of the day, Vanos was second in the weight throw with a mark of 21.03 meters. The fifth-best throw in the Big Ten this season, he continues to rank No. 6 in school history, as he bested his previous PR of 20.77m. Three of Vanos' throws passed 20.70m, and his first career mark over 21.00m came on his sixth and final attempt to secure a second-place finish.
The opening event on the track was the 5,000m, where all three Boilermakers finished in the top five with some of the fastest times I the Big Ten this season. Selm paced the way for Purdue in second place with a time of 14:11.39, which is 10th-fastest in the school record books and eighth-fastest in the Big Ten this season. Senior Alek Fleming was fourth in 14:14.21, as he improved his PR by more than 12 seconds. Right behind him in fifth was fifth-year senior Bailey McIntire, who finished in 14:15.16. Fleming and McIntire ran the 10th- and 11th-fastest times in the league this year to go along with Selm's time at No. 8.
Nine Boilermakers advanced from the prelims to the semifinal in the 60m, six men and three women, and both women moved on in the 60m hurdles. The semifinal and final of the men's and women's 60m and 60m hurdles will be contested on Saturday afternoon.
Six of the nine men who raced in the 60m prelims qualified for the semis, led by senior Antonio Mitchell III who posted the fastest time of 7.78 seconds. Sophomore Tyneilus Morrow was fourth overall (6.92), followed by freshman Ezra Lewellen with a personal-best 6.93 to place sixth and junior Justin Becker (6.94, 7th). Fifth-year senior Tamar Greene with a season-best mark (7.07, 11th) and sophomore Henry H.L. Lewis (7.12, 13th) also moved on to Saturday's semifinals.
In the women's 60m, three of five Boilermakers moved on. Junior Kerris Roberts led the way for Purdue with a 7.49 to place sixth, followed by junior Saran Kouyeth (7.53, 8th) and senior Camille Christopher (season-best 7.57, 11th).
Junior Jayla Ellis ran a season-best 8.72 to finish third in the 60m hurdle prelims, and sophomore K'Ja Talley was sixth (8.77). The pair made it a perfect two-for-two for Boilermakers who ran in the prelims and advanced to the semifinal in the final.
The final event of the day for Purdue was the 200m. Christopher finished sixth in 24.00, a season-best time and tied for fourth-fastest in the Big Ten in 2022. Roberts was eighth in 24.13. For the men, Becker also was sixth in a personal-best 21.45. Morrow was eighth in 21.60.
To open the day, sophomore Gage Ernsberger was fifth in the high jump (1.95m), while sophomore LJ Hill was fifth in the long jump (6.96m). Freshman Anne Busse added a fifth-place finish in the pole vault (3.55m).
Additionally, Lewellen (22.33, 200m), senior Amir Harris (21.80, 200m), juniors Saran Kouyeth (24.54, 200m) and Annamaria Leszczynska (25.33, 200m), sophomores Naomi Campbell (25.21, 200m) and Emily Kim (5.33m, long jump) and freshman Owen Schafer (22.61, 200m) also added personal-bests on Friday.
On Saturday, action commences with running events at noon ET / 11 a.m. CT and field events at 12:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 p.m. CT. The meet concludes with the women's and men's 4x400 relays, scheduled to start at 4:41 p.m. ET / 3:41 p.m. CT.
Fans can follow along from Chicago with live results and the meet schedule, while tickets are available at TicketWeb.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including heat sheets and direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
The Windy City Invitational field features host-Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Howard, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Tulsa and USF. Twenty-five men and 23 women will compete for the Old Gold and Black at the two-day meet.
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.