The Hillsdale men's track and field team wrapped up the GINA Relays on Saturday with three relay titles and a pair of runner-up finishes in the field.
The Chargers took first in three of the four contested relays on the day. Hillsdale's team of Jacob Schmidt, Jamahl Burke, Ian Brown and Dagur Andri Einarsson won the 4x100 relay in 41.70, and Burke also jonied Sean Fagan, Ian Calvert and Benu Meintjes on the winning 4x400 relay team (3:18.31) as well. The Chargers also won the 4x200 relay (1:37.17) with a team of Justin Doughty, Joseph Ritzer, Charlie Andrews and John Baldwin.
In field events, Hillsdale's Ben Raffin took second in the pole vault, clearing 4.88 meters, and Joshua Nichols took second in the triple jump, finishing with a distance of 13.44 meters.
Hillsdale will be back in action again on its home track this coming Friday, April 30, hosting the Charger Tune-Up meet beginning at noon.
Friday
The 54th annual GINA relays are under way and the Hillsdale College men's track and field team is making the most of its annual outdoor showcase so far.
On Thursday and Friday, several Charger men's athletes ran personal bests and earned top finishes in a field that includes 46 programs and several elite unattached athletes.
The highlight of Friday's action was senior Ian Brown finally capturing the Hillsdale College 110 meter hurdle record, finishing third in a tough field in a time of 14.32 to edge out Matt Raffin's old mark of 14.43.
It's the third time this season Brown has beaten the mark, but the first time he didn't get too much assistance from a tailwind, making the mark record-legal.
Brown also took fourth in the 200m dash (22.09) for the Chargers, finishing just behind freshman Jamahl Burke, who took third in 22.04.
Burke was also part of a strong 400m dash for the Charger men. Freshman Benu Meintjes won the race for the Chargers in a personal best time of 48.77, and Burke also took third in that race, finishing in 49.32.
Several other athletes posted top three finishes for the Chargers on Friday at the GINAs. Senior Ryan Thomsen took third in the high jump, clearing 1.90 meters, and sophomore Steve Weideman led three placers in the hammer throw, finishing third with a distance of 48.28 meters. Freshmen Jesse Westmeyer finished sixth (44.79 meters) and Ethan Perttula finished seventh (44.65 meters).
Others ran impressive times. Junior Mark Miller took sixth in a loaded 1,500m run Championship field with a personal best time of 3:54.96 and freshman Ian Calvert took fourth in the 800 meter run with a personal best time of 1:54.42.
Freshman Sean Fagan finished fifth in the 400m hurdles (54.44) and seventh in the 110 hurdles (14.96) as well for the Chargers, freshman Joshua Nichols took fourth in the long jump (6.37 meters) and freshman Dagur Andri Einarsson took fifth in the 100m dash (10.86) as well for the Charger men.
Action continues on Saturday at the GINA Relays with several relay races, as well as more field events.
Photo by Summer Fields
