BOURBINNAIS, Ill- McKendree University Indoor track and Field kicked off their season at the Olivet Nazarene University Holiday Invitational.
Women's Results
Beginning the day, the 60m hurdle preliminary round saw Lydia Trump qualify for the finals with a time of 10.29q and sophomore Azia Douglas ran a time of 10.98. Trump finished fifth in the finals with a time of 9.97.
The 60m dash saw a trio of freshman Amber Cotton, Bailey Williams, Alexia Marwa compete and finish with times of 8.10q, 8.34, and 9.45 respectively. Sophomore Tori King also competed running a new personal best of 8.65. Cotton finished 8.09 in the finals.
The 200m consisted of the same quartet of runners as the 60m dash, Cotton leading the way with a 27.38, Williams with a 28.01, King in 28.57, and Marwa in 32.22.
The 400m run saw a quintet of freshman lead the way as Divine Ozomma finished fifth overall with a time of 1:02.58. Sara Belloso crossed the line with a time of 1:03.16, and Adonya Taylor right behind with a time of 1:03.48. Iyanna Dear finished with a time of 1:03.76, and Lydia Trump in 1:05.45. Sophomore Azia Douglas closed out the 200 for the Bearcats with a time of 1:08.19.
The 800m saw freshman Chloe Gough secure her first colligate victory in her first indoor meet as a Bearcat kicking through the line with a time of 2:37.84. Caroline Peters also competed, finishing fourth with a time of 2:47.83.
The one-mile race saw sophomores Sophia Paschal and Colleen Zinke finish fifth and sixth with times of 5:57.57, and 6:13.48 respectively.
The duo of Paschal and Zinke were not done for the day as they doubled back shortly after for the 3000m race and finished second and third with times of 12:42.57, and 12:48.77.
Freshman Paula Niubo competed in the high jump, jumping 1.35m.
The long jump saw Bailey Williams and Adonya Taylor jump 5.11m and 4.53m respectively.
Taylor also jumped in the triple jump, finishing fourth jumping 10.14m.
Closing out the day, two Bearcat 4x400m relay teams toed the line with the "A" team of Ozomma, Trump, Dear and Belloso placing first with a time of 4:13.25. McKendree "B" team consisting of King, Douglas, Cotton, and Gough finishing third with a time of 4:31.87.
Men's Results
The beginning of the day for the Bearcats saw six athletes compete in the 60m preliminary round. Freshman Matthew Chandler led the way with a time of 7.11 qualifying for the finals. Sophomore George Safo finished with a time of 7.23, and sophomore Dorian Foster ran a personal best of 7.40. Freshman Aaron Dabner and sophomore Holden Hutchcraft tied with a time of 7.50, and junior Mason Young rounded out the 60m runners with a time of 8.08. Chandler finished sixth in the final with a time of 7.12.
The 200m was led by Safo with a time of 23.29 followed by Hutchcraft in 24.56 and Aaron Dabner crossing the line in 24.75. Mason Young and freshman Riley Monroe finished with times of 27.37 and 28.16.
The 400m race saw freshman Matthew Chandler and sophomore Roemello Byndloss finish second and third with times of 50.62 and 51.07. Daniel Palacios crossed the line in 55.28 and Riley Monroe in 1:03.16.
In the 800m sophomore John Bush won the race in a time of 1:53.80 setting the facility record at Olivet Nazarene University. Bush's flat track conversation of 1:52.20 also hits the NCAA Division II provisional standard for the National Championship meet. Freshman Kewarny Fletcher placed second with a time of 1:57.25.
The mile race saw senior Seth Kasinger finish with a time of 5:03.75, and junior Braden Voss with a time of 5:07.48.
The 3000m race saw junior Michael Hayeck finish in third place running a new personal best of 9:31.19. Junior Caleb Klein finished fifth with a time of 9:45.77, and senior Jaxon Groves-Scott and sophomore Blake Westrater finished seventh and eighth with times of 9:52 and 9:54 respectively.
Closing out the day the 4x400m relay "A" team consisting of Chandler, Fletcher, Byndloss, and Bush won with a time of 3:24.27. The 4x400m "B" team consisting of Hutchcraft, Safo, Foster, and Kasinger finished sixth with a time of 3:37.
"The Men's and Women's track and field team is off to a fast start completing every well at ONU, with John Bush winning the 800-meter dash with Kewarny Fletcher finishing second. Matt Chandler finished second in the 400-meter dash and Roemello Byndloss finished third. The Men's 4x400 team of Chandler, Fletcher, Byndloss and Bush finishing 1st," said Head Coach Barry Ford. "On the women's side the 4x400 relay of Ozomma, Trump, Dear, and Belloso finished first. Also, Chloe Gough finished 1st in the 800-meter dash. While Lydia Trump finished 5th in the 60-meter hurdles and Divine Ozomma finished fifth in the 400-meter dash as well! Sophia Paschal and Colleen Zinke finished second and third in the 3000 meter run. Michael Hayeck also finished 3rd on the Men's side! This was a good start for the team!"
The Bearcats are back on the track next Friday, December 8th at Eastern Illinois University.
