CHICAGO – Seamus Malaski (weight throw) and Alexia Smith (400m) take event victories to lead Purdue Track & Field’s strong opening day at the Windy City Invite.
Men’s Notes
• Malaski took the weight throw victory in a personal-best 21.57m (70-09.25) that moved him up to No. 6 in Purdue history and entered the nation’s top 20 at the time of his throw. He later finished second in the shot put (first among collegiate competitors) with a throw of 18.54m (60-10.00). He now has three event victories and six top-two finishes through his first eight collegiate events.
• Samuel Vessat moved up to No. 2 in school history in the 400m (46.50). His time moved up to top 30 in the nation and finished third in a stacked top of the field that featured two of the nation’s top 20 runners.
• Hugh Jacobsmeyer took fourth in the mile in 4:08.00 and finished just 0.16 shy of his personal best set last weekend.
• Jason Polydoris (14:16.80), Neris White (14:17.73) and Nate Assa (14:24.17) took fourth, fifth and sixth in the 5000m. The performance was White’s personal best, while Assa made his collegiate indoor debut.
• Leo Maxwell added a fifth-place finish in the weight throw (18.06m / 59-03.00).
• Jax Coleman finished sixth in the 400m (47.67) in his first collegiate open race in the event.
Women’s Notes
• Smith took her second 400m victory of the season after she ran 53.31. She also won her last time out at the Corky Classic in her only other open 400m of the season.
• Britannie Johnson was the weight throw runner-up (20.20m / 66-03.25) and later added a fourth-place finish in the shot put (15.31m / 50-02.75). She has five top two finishes in eight events this season.
• Jila Vaden jumped a season best 5.86m (19-02.75) in the long jump to finish as the Windy City Invite runner-up.
• Zoe Sullivan advanced to Saturday’s 60mH semifinal after she finished third in the prelims (8.28).
• Nia Wilson qualified for the 60m finals and finished fourth (7.42). It was her fastest time of the season in a venue not at altitude.
• Purdue’s distance produced four top eight finishes with Paige Hazelrigg (17:28.86), Ally Wigand (17:39.94) and Elise Peckinpaugh (17:43.22) finishing fifth, sixth and seventh in the 5000m and Julia Economo finishing seventh with a personal best 4:51.05 in the mile.
• Caliyah Wallace finished sixth in the 400m (55.33).
Next Up
The Boilers wrap up the Windy City Invite on Saturday starting with the high jump at noon ET / 11 a.m. CT.
