CHICAGO – Four top-10 times in school history and four event wins highlighted the Purdue track & field team's day at the Wisconsin Midwest Invitational on Saturday in Chicago at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park.
Fifth-year Justin Becker and sophomore Brett Otterbacher each notched victories on Saturday with times that rank in the top six in the Boilermaker record books. Otterbacher ran the second-fastest 600-meter time, while Becker won the 60m final with the No. 6-fastest time.
Junior Deborah Obadofin earned her second consecutive long jump win to begin the season and sophomore Praise Aniamaka added a win in the triple jump. Sophomore Nathan Walker and freshman Zachary Evans both registered top-10 times, in the mile and 60m prelim, respectively.
As the Boilermakers returned to the track after a month-long break for the holidays, they competed against host-Wisconsin, Illinois, UW-Milwaukee and Southern Illinois. Saturday marked the first of two trips to Chicago's year-old track for Purdue during the indoor season.
Becker and Otterbacher's wins came in back-to-back men's events, beginning with Becker in the 60m final. After a personal-best 6.78 in the prelim, the third-fastest overall time, Becker topped it in the final. The winning time of 6.69 vaulted him into the record book at No. 6 in the event as Becker won by 0.02 seconds.
In the 60m prelim, Evans finished in 6.74, the fastest time and tied for No. 10 in school history at the time.
The next men's event was the 600m, where Otterbacher won in 1:17.52. Just 0.32 seconds shy of the school record set in 2020, Otterbacher's place at No. 2 all-time comes as he won Saturday's race by nearly two seconds.
Just before Becker and Otterbacher notched their top-10 wins, Walker ran the mile in 4:07.58 to stamp his name in the record book. It is No. 10 on the charts and the fastest by a Boilermaker in almost three years. Walker placed third overall in Saturday's race.
In the long jump, Obadofin earned her second win in the event in as many meets to open the 2022-23 season. On her second attempt, she jumped 5.60m and went on to win by 0.09m.
Later in the afternoon, Aniamaka was victorious in the triple jump, also with a mark earned on his second jump. A 14.23m gave him the win. Aniamaka was the only competitor to jump at least 14.00m, which he did three times.
Fifth-year Johnny Vanos got the day going with another strong performance in the weight throw, as he was second with a mark of 21.22m. That was just shy of his personal-best set last month that is No. 4 in the Purdue record books.
Additionally, senior Safin Wills was the long jump runner-up (7.36m) and freshmen Bryanna Craig and Jessica Lyons placed second in the high jump (1.74m) and 800m (2:17.45), respectively. Craig's high jump was a collegiate-best clearance.
Personal-best marks also were achieved by Becker (34.01, 300m), Craig (8.80 and 8.70, 60m hurdles and 5.49ml long jump), fifth-year Camille Christopher (7.51, 60m prelims and 40.39, 300m), juniors Naomi Campbell (7.61, 60m prelims), Caroline Jordan (5:06.47, mile), Logan Sandlin (8.89, 60m hurdles), Caleb Williams (4:10.58, mile) and Cierra Williams (7.69, 60m prelims), sophomore Jaelyn Burgos (5:14.79, mile) and freshmen Rebecca Caliendo (14.84m, weight throw) and Eric Young II (6.86m and 6.84, 60m).
The Boilermakers are back in action next weekend, when they travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Simmons-Harvey Invitational on January 21. Purdue returns to Michigan for the first time since opening the 2020-21 indoor season at the U-M Indoor Track Building.
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.
Fifth-year Justin Becker and sophomore Brett Otterbacher each notched victories on Saturday with times that rank in the top six in the Boilermaker record books. Otterbacher ran the second-fastest 600-meter time, while Becker won the 60m final with the No. 6-fastest time.
Junior Deborah Obadofin earned her second consecutive long jump win to begin the season and sophomore Praise Aniamaka added a win in the triple jump. Sophomore Nathan Walker and freshman Zachary Evans both registered top-10 times, in the mile and 60m prelim, respectively.
As the Boilermakers returned to the track after a month-long break for the holidays, they competed against host-Wisconsin, Illinois, UW-Milwaukee and Southern Illinois. Saturday marked the first of two trips to Chicago's year-old track for Purdue during the indoor season.
View this post on Instagram
Becker and Otterbacher's wins came in back-to-back men's events, beginning with Becker in the 60m final. After a personal-best 6.78 in the prelim, the third-fastest overall time, Becker topped it in the final. The winning time of 6.69 vaulted him into the record book at No. 6 in the event as Becker won by 0.02 seconds.
In the 60m prelim, Evans finished in 6.74, the fastest time and tied for No. 10 in school history at the time.
The next men's event was the 600m, where Otterbacher won in 1:17.52. Just 0.32 seconds shy of the school record set in 2020, Otterbacher's place at No. 2 all-time comes as he won Saturday's race by nearly two seconds.
No. 2⃣ in Purdue history!! 💥
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) January 14, 2023
Brett Otterbacher enters the top-10 in back-to-back meets, today in the 600m with a 1:17.52 to win the event!
⏱️ https://t.co/bhlyKwR5Xl#BoilerUp 🚂 pic.twitter.com/eaUyR2ZJRW
Just before Becker and Otterbacher notched their top-10 wins, Walker ran the mile in 4:07.58 to stamp his name in the record book. It is No. 10 on the charts and the fastest by a Boilermaker in almost three years. Walker placed third overall in Saturday's race.
In the long jump, Obadofin earned her second win in the event in as many meets to open the 2022-23 season. On her second attempt, she jumped 5.60m and went on to win by 0.09m.
Later in the afternoon, Aniamaka was victorious in the triple jump, also with a mark earned on his second jump. A 14.23m gave him the win. Aniamaka was the only competitor to jump at least 14.00m, which he did three times.
Fifth-year Johnny Vanos got the day going with another strong performance in the weight throw, as he was second with a mark of 21.22m. That was just shy of his personal-best set last month that is No. 4 in the Purdue record books.
Additionally, senior Safin Wills was the long jump runner-up (7.36m) and freshmen Bryanna Craig and Jessica Lyons placed second in the high jump (1.74m) and 800m (2:17.45), respectively. Craig's high jump was a collegiate-best clearance.
Personal-best marks also were achieved by Becker (34.01, 300m), Craig (8.80 and 8.70, 60m hurdles and 5.49ml long jump), fifth-year Camille Christopher (7.51, 60m prelims and 40.39, 300m), juniors Naomi Campbell (7.61, 60m prelims), Caroline Jordan (5:06.47, mile), Logan Sandlin (8.89, 60m hurdles), Caleb Williams (4:10.58, mile) and Cierra Williams (7.69, 60m prelims), sophomore Jaelyn Burgos (5:14.79, mile) and freshmen Rebecca Caliendo (14.84m, weight throw) and Eric Young II (6.86m and 6.84, 60m).
The Boilermakers are back in action next weekend, when they travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Simmons-Harvey Invitational on January 21. Purdue returns to Michigan for the first time since opening the 2020-21 indoor season at the U-M Indoor Track Building.
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.