Track and Field Wraps Up at Husker Invitational
Feb. 4, 2006
LINCOLN, Neb. –
The <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Kansas men’s and women’s track and field teams were in Lincoln, Neb., today for day two of the 31st annual Husker Invitational. The meet, which was not team scored, was held at the Bob Devaney Sports Complex, the same site that will host the Big 12 Indoor Championship in three weeks.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Jayhawks performed very well on the day, highlighted by victories in the women’s 1,000-meter run by senior Angela Pichardo, the men’s 600-yard run by sophomore Matt Baysinger and the men’s 3000-meter run by senior Benson Chesang. Pichardo, the school’s record holder in that event, ran the race in a time of 2 minutes, 54.7 seconds. Baysinger won his race in a time of 1:10.01, marking the third consecutive meet that he has won the 600-yard run.
Running in his first meet of the season, senior Benson Chesang ran a provisionally qualifying time of 8:00.83 in the 3000-meter race. In the same event, senior Erik Sloan finished third (8:13.56) and sophomore Colby Wissel came in fifth (8:15.27). Competing in the mile, senior Joshy Madathil ran a 4:09.53 to finish fourth overall. Dena Seibel, also competing in the mile, finished in a time of 4:59.56, good for seventh.
Two of the Jayhawks’ women’s runners also had good races in the 600-yard run. Junior Janiece Gatson finished second overall (1:25.24) while sophomore Cortney Jacobs finished fourth (1:26.52).
Having automatically qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the weight throw yesterday, senior Sheldon Battle came out today and placed second in the shot put with a throw of 62 feet, 1 ¾ inches. Also competing in the shot put, freshman Stephanie Horton finished the day with a third place result. Her throw of 50-0 ¾ was good for third on KU’s all-time shot list.
The men’s and women’s sprinters fared well on the afternoon as well. In the men’s 60-meter hurdles, Julius Jiles and Aaron Thompson finished two-three with Jiles running a 7.96 and Thompson a 7.98. Senior Charisse Bacchus ran an 8.92 to finish sixth in the 60-meter hurdles.
In the triple jump, sophomore Crystal Manning and junior Shatoya Hill finished third and fifth, respectively. Manning jumped 40-2 ¾ and Hill had leap of 39-11 ½ on the day.
Rounding out the Jayhawks’ performances was junior Josh Kirk. After entering the day placed third in the heptathlon, he finished with a point total of 5,070 to finish out the competition in the same position.
