CHICAGO – Four top-10 marks in program history were part of a strong final day at the Windy City Invitational for the Purdue track & field team on Saturday afternoon in Chicago at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park.
Sophomore Praise Aniamaka led the way with a triple jump victory with a mark that is No. 4 in school history. Fifth-year Camille Christopher was third in the 200-meter with the fifth-fastest time in the Purdue record books, while sophomore Emma Squires ran the mile in a time that is No. 9 in team history. Additionally, senior Saran Kouyeth entered the top-10 list at No. 10 in the 200m.
Those were four of the Boilermakers' seven personal-record marks on Saturday, and the team also notched three season-best totals. A number of those personal and season-best marks are among the best in the Big Ten this season.
Aniamaka's record-book jump came on his sixth and final attempt and moved him up into first place, from second. His jump of 16.05 meters is No. 4 in Purdue history and the second-best by a Boilermaker since 2016. It ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 14 in the NCAA in 2022-23.
Also in the triple jump, senior Safin Wills placed third with a mark of 15.62m. The season-best jump is sixth in the Big Ten this year.
The opening event on the track was the 200m, where Christopher, in the first heat, rose to No. 5 all-time in the record books. She finished third overall in 23.60 to best her previous PR, set two weeks ago, by 0.18 seconds. With the fastest time by a Boilermaker since 2018, Christopher also moved up to fourth in the Big Ten this season.
Kouyeth ran the 200m in 24.21 to enter the school charts at No. 10, and senior teammate Kerris Roberts finished in 23.99, just shy of her season-best time.
Squires debuted in the record books in the mile with a time of 4:47.29. That ranks No. 9 in team history and is the first top-10 time by a Boilermaker in the event since 2016.
Fifth-year Jessica Bray had a season-best clearance in the pole vault, as she placed third overall. Her mark of 4.07m is ninth in the Big Ten this year.
The meet concluded with a win by the men's 4x400 relay team, as senior Jabari Bryant, freshman Eric Young II, junior Jahn Riley and sophomore Owen Schafer crossed the finish line in 3:13.19.
Additionally, junior Payne Turney and freshman Kiefer Bell each ran personal-record times in the mile. Turney's came in 4:49.42, while Bell finished in 4:07.73. Bell's time came just 0.15 seconds shy of etching his name on the top-10 list.
On Friday's opening day in Chicago, fifth-year Johnny Vanos was second in the weight throw as six Boilermakers notched personal-best marks. Along with Purdue and host-Wisconsin, the 13-team Windy City Invite field included Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Up next, the Boilermakers conclude the regular season at Notre Dame's Alex Wilson Invitational on Saturday, February 18. Then it's on to the Big Ten Championships, which will once again be hosted by the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from February 24-25.
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.
Sophomore Praise Aniamaka led the way with a triple jump victory with a mark that is No. 4 in school history. Fifth-year Camille Christopher was third in the 200-meter with the fifth-fastest time in the Purdue record books, while sophomore Emma Squires ran the mile in a time that is No. 9 in team history. Additionally, senior Saran Kouyeth entered the top-10 list at No. 10 in the 200m.
Those were four of the Boilermakers' seven personal-record marks on Saturday, and the team also notched three season-best totals. A number of those personal and season-best marks are among the best in the Big Ten this season.
Aniamaka's record-book jump came on his sixth and final attempt and moved him up into first place, from second. His jump of 16.05 meters is No. 4 in Purdue history and the second-best by a Boilermaker since 2016. It ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 14 in the NCAA in 2022-23.
Also in the triple jump, senior Safin Wills placed third with a mark of 15.62m. The season-best jump is sixth in the Big Ten this year.
The opening event on the track was the 200m, where Christopher, in the first heat, rose to No. 5 all-time in the record books. She finished third overall in 23.60 to best her previous PR, set two weeks ago, by 0.18 seconds. With the fastest time by a Boilermaker since 2018, Christopher also moved up to fourth in the Big Ten this season.
Kouyeth ran the 200m in 24.21 to enter the school charts at No. 10, and senior teammate Kerris Roberts finished in 23.99, just shy of her season-best time.
Squires debuted in the record books in the mile with a time of 4:47.29. That ranks No. 9 in team history and is the first top-10 time by a Boilermaker in the event since 2016.
Fifth-year Jessica Bray had a season-best clearance in the pole vault, as she placed third overall. Her mark of 4.07m is ninth in the Big Ten this year.
The meet concluded with a win by the men's 4x400 relay team, as senior Jabari Bryant, freshman Eric Young II, junior Jahn Riley and sophomore Owen Schafer crossed the finish line in 3:13.19.
Additionally, junior Payne Turney and freshman Kiefer Bell each ran personal-record times in the mile. Turney's came in 4:49.42, while Bell finished in 4:07.73. Bell's time came just 0.15 seconds shy of etching his name on the top-10 list.
On Friday's opening day in Chicago, fifth-year Johnny Vanos was second in the weight throw as six Boilermakers notched personal-best marks. Along with Purdue and host-Wisconsin, the 13-team Windy City Invite field included Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Up next, the Boilermakers conclude the regular season at Notre Dame's Alex Wilson Invitational on Saturday, February 18. Then it's on to the Big Ten Championships, which will once again be hosted by the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, from February 24-25.
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.