MIT OPENS THE SEASON WITH BIG PERFORMANCES
March 31, 2007
After a week in Florida of 80 degree plus temperatures and nothing but sun everyday, the track and field team finally started the competitive part of the outdoor season today with outstanding performances and a victory against New England neighbor, Colby College and a few local athletes. The practices and meet were hosted by the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida.
The team spent the week through difficult two-a-day workouts and hard lifting sessions yet when the time came to compete, the athletes shrugged off the fatigue, ignored the heat and took care of business.
Leading the performance parade was freshman Stephen Morton. He jumped 22-7 in the long jump, took one jump in the triple and went 45-7 1/4, ran the 100 into the 20 mph wind in 11.31 and anchored the 4x100 to a 43.57 time despite terrible handoffs. The triple jump was the premier event of the day, dominating the top six places. After Morton was Anthony Teixeira, who jumped 44-9 and had his ankle give out on a jump that would have been in the 46 foot range had he been able to finish it. Obinna Anyanwu followed with a 43-4 1/4 for third, Omari Stephens 42-5 1/2, Chris Bateman with 42-0 1/2 and Tim Humpton at 39-8 3/4.
Stephens cleared 14-6 in the pole vault and ran 15.98 into the stiff wind prior to his triple jump. Teixeira ran a leg on the 4x100, ran a personal best 15.88 despite running into the wind and long jumped 21-2 prior to his triple jump. Bateman also did well, jumping 21-2 and also running a leg on the 4x100.
Liam Fedus, another freshman, won the collegiate 400 with a 50.99, led off the 4x100 with a solid leg and anchored the winning 4x400 with a 51.5 leg. Freshman Bill Phipps won the 800 with a 1:59.27 and ran a leg on the 4x400 relay.
Freshman Johannes Schneider led a trio of Tech runners in the steeplechase to a 1-2-4 finish. The rookie ran a 10:15.16 after a very conservative start, leading Chris Bruce (10:32.12) and Rocco Repetski (11:19.10) to the finish line.
Eric Khatchadourian led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 5000, running 15:36.0 despite the hot weather. Gaining second place was Joe Roy-Mayhew in 15:52 and Hemu Arumugam in 15:55.
Representing MIT well in the throws were James Oleinik and Tony McDonald. Oleinik won the shot and hammer with throws of 45-4 1/4 and 128-7 respectively and threw the discus 118-11. McDonald threw the discus 128-5, a fine mark for a freshman, threw the hammer 121-9 and put the shot 37-8 1/2.
Next week the Engineers travel to Troy, NY to go against RPI and WPI in the annual Engineer's Cup.