The Hillsdale College Chargers hosted the annual Wide Track Classic this weekend. Athletes competed over the course of Friday and Saturday to continue making progress in their training as they prepare for the soon-approaching conference championship.
Many Chargers competed in the 200 meter dash. Junior Kajsa Johansson led the way, winning the Championship 200 race with a season-best time of 25.03 seconds. Freshman Dakota Stamm and sophomore Alanna O'Leary finished in a narrow fourth and fifth, respectively. Stamm crossed the line in 26.14 seconds, and O'Leary in 26.19. Both of those times were indoor personal bests for the pair. And junior Zoe Eby continues to make her comeback, racing to an improved time of 26.56 to take ninth.
In the 800m championship race, sophomore Amber Mango raced hard to the finish to take fifth overall with a time of 2:26.00.
In the 60m hurdles, freshmen Jillian Roney and Judith Allison both earned a pair of new PRs. Allison ran 9.42 in the prelim race and worked her way into the finals, but didn't run the race due to injury. Roney earned PRs in both the prelims and semis, running 9.24 and 9.22, respectively. In the finals, she finished eighth in 10.38.
Junior Megan Poole ran a great mile with a PR of 5:25.92 to take fourth. Her teammate, senior Kate Vanderstelt finished 16th in 5:44.20.
In the 5000m run, Hillsdale put together a solid set of performances. Junior Lauren Peterson led the way with a fifth-place finish in 18:54.64. Senior Addison Rauch ran a 19:01.96 to take sixth, and freshman Natalie Martinson ran 19:42.53 to take ninth.
In the field events, senior Kathryn Bassette took a big step forward with a season best height in pole vault, 3.42 meters, to take fourth. Sophomore Alexie Day high jumped 1.57 meters to tie for third.
Freshman Emily Gerdin and senior Dani Jones earned season bests in long jump as well. Gerdin finished third with mark of 5.32m and Jones took sixth in 5.01 meters. The two triple jumped as well. Gerdin took fourth in 10.96 meters, and Jones finished in 16th with 10.00 meters.
In the throws, sophomore Nikita Maines led the way with a fifth place finish in weight throw with a mark of 16.45 meters. Fellow sophomore Michaela Burkhauser took ninth, throwing for 15.77 meters and freshman Katie Weldy earned a PR of 14.21 meters to take 14th.
In shot put, Burkhauser threw for 12.09 meters to finish seventh, and Maines finished 13th with a mark of 11.39 meters.
The Chargers will be splitting up across a couple of meets next weekend as the continue to prepare for the end of the indoor season.
WORDS: Calli Townsend
PHOTO: Christine Siddall