TicketsJan. 23, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The University of Cincinnati indoor track and field team had several top performances in the opening day of the Gladstein Invitational at Gladstein Fieldhouse on the Indiana University campus.
Sophomore Natasha Burse raced well in the preliminaries and the qualified for the finals of the 60 meter dash with a time of 7.68 seconds.
In the finals of the 400 meters, senior Courtney Wicks and freshman Aricka Rhodes both recorded top-five times for the Bearcats. Wicks crossed the line with a third-place time of 58.58, while Rhodes followed right behind with a fourth-place time of 58.83.
Freshman Hauna Dawkins continued the success with a fifth-place showing in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles. Dawkins ran a time of 8.86 and advanced to the finals on Saturday.
In the jumps, freshman Camai Brandenberg recorded a mark of 1.65 meters, which secured a third-place finish for UC. In the pole vault, freshman Mackenzie Fields and sophomore Michelle Eby notched fourth- and fifth-place finishes. Fields and Eby finished with marks of 3.70 meters and 3.55 meters, respectively.
Notching a mark of 13.21 meters, senior Lisa Klotz finished in fourth place in the finals of the shot put.
The UC men are competing at the event as well and finished in the Top 5 in seven of 10 events.
Junior Ekundayo Igeleke recorded the top time in the preliminaries of the 60 meter dash with a time of 6.89 seconds. In the next event, junior Antione Drakeford easily recorded a victory in the 400 meters. Drakeford crossed the line with a top time of 47.64 seconds, defeating the second-place finished by 1.5 seconds.
Sophomore Ricky Lupp and senior Rick King notched a 1-2 finish in the mile run, finishing with times of 4:22.56 and 4:23.58, respectively. Freshman Eric Finan notched the first win of his career in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:31.16.
Freshman Terrence Somerville was the only runner under eight seconds in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles. Somerville ran a time of 7.98 seconds.
Senior Michael Jarman notched the top throw in the weight throw with a throw of 18.68 meters.
The Invitational concludes tomorrow with the final event finishing around 2:30 p.m.