Distance runners pace USU at UCLA
Distance runners led the way for the Utah State men’s and women’s track and field teams as they competed at UCLA’s Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational over the weekend.
Junior Seth Wold performed well by posting Western Athletic Conference leading times in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs. Wold won the 10,000-meters with a time of 30:58.35 and came in second place in the 5,000 with a time of 14:31.55.
“Seth did a great job placing second in the men’s 5,000 and then just an hour later, turning around and winning the 10,000 with a WAC-leading time,” head coach Greg Gensel said.
Sophomore Steve Strickland came in third-place with an NCAA provisional qualifying time and season best of 8:57.03 in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
On the women’s side of distance runners, Stacie Dorius came in first place in the 3000-meter steeplechase by running a time of 10:36.65, which was her season best.
Other women to perform well included sophomore Krista Larson, who placed fourth in the hammer throw with an NCAA qualifying mark of 178-feet-10-inches’.
A trio of Aggie women competed in the 400-meter hurdles and posted NCAA qualifying times. Junior Katie Thatcher led the way with a time of 60.68 seconds and was later followed in by freshmen Heidi Hopkins and Camille Fehlberg, who posted times of 62.71 and 63.25 respectively.
Other men who performed well were junior Blake Hadfield, who recorded a season-best distance of 47-feet-10-inches in the triple jump. Senior sprinter Dasheek Akwenye finished in fourth place in the 400-meters with a time of 46.96.
The Aggies return home to Logan where they will prepare to host the only home meet of the season on Saturday, April 19, when they welcome teams in to compete in the Mark Faldmo Invitational.
– sam.bryner@aggiemail.usu.edu