CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. & LEWISBURG, Pa. – Despite lightning and weather delays in both locations on Saturday, the American University track team competed at the Virginia Challenge hosted by UVA and the Bucknell Team Challenge on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22. The Eagles squad was able to fight through the delays, setting 14 personal records (PRs) for themselves and making eight updates to the American record books.
HIGHLIGHTS – VIRGINIA CHALLENGE
- June Mwaniki's first 5000m under 18 minutes was just two months ago during the indoor season. Three more races at that distance and the junior recorded herself a time of 16:58.57 for a 15 second personal record (PR). Mwaniki won the overall event and moved up from 6th to 4th all-time in AU's record books.
- On Saturday afternoon, with a PR in the men's 200m, freshman sprinter Fernando Ibarra reaffirmed himself in fifth place in the American record books.
- Fellow freshman Kaden Kluth made a jump from ninth to fourth in the record books for AU with his PR of 1:50.49 in the men's 800m.
HIGHLIGHTS – BUCKNELL TEAM CHALLENGE
- Sophomore Danny O'Neill started the day off for the Eagles with a personal best (PR) in the 3000m steeplechase, moving up from ninth to eighth in the AU record books with a time of 9:43.05.
- Annie Ripol and Hannah Schwab, competing in their first full 3000m steeplechase on the women's side both logged themselves into the record books, fifth and sixth respectively.
- In the 15000m races two first years, Jack Chandler on the men's side and Grace Kirk on the women's side, were each able to earn their own personal records (PRs).
- Cassandra Daniele and Eva Gibson both set personal bests for themselves in the women's 400m hurdles. They each continue to sit at three and four in the AU record books as the program continues to build and run more events.
- In the 200m races freshmen Owen Garret on the men's side and Tori Maignan on the women's side each set personal records for themselves.
- Rounding out the day, both runners in the women's 3000m run, Skyler Tatum and Brooke Evans, each earned a personal best, Tatum by seven seconds and Evans by three.
QUOTES FROM COACH GRAHAM
"We had some mixed results at UVA this weekend. A few athletes were unfortunately battling untimely sickness which didn't lead to great results. On the positive side, we had a handful of great performances as well.
"
Kaden Kluth ran another PR in the 800m, now down to 1:50.49 and moving up to fourth all time for AU.
Fernando Ibarra also improves as well with a PR in the 200m of 22.12s to reaffirm his place of fifth all time at American.
"On the women's side,
June Mwaniki had a phenomenal 5000m with yet another big PR, under 17-minute performance at 16:58.57 to win a very gritty race. June also moved up the all-time list to fourth behind some impressive alumnae."
KEEP UP WITH US
- For the latest on American University track, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_TrackXC) and Instagram (@AU_TrackXC).
RESULTS – VIRGINIA CHALLENGE
| FRIDAY, APRIL 21 |
| EVENT |
RESULTS |
| 100m, Men |
39. Fernando Ibarra, 10.90 |
| 1500m, Men |
23. Nathan Reeves, 3:54.30 | 34. Tucker Zullo, 4:00.46 |
| 5000m, Men |
25. Row Sullivan, 14:25.17 |
| 5000m, Women |
1. June Mwaniki, 16:58.57 (PR)* |
RESULTS – VIRGINIA CHALLENGE
RESULTS – BUCKNELL TEAM CHALLENGE
| SATURDAY, APRIL 22 |
| EVENT |
RESULTS |
| 3000m Steeplechase, Men |
5. Danny O'Neill, 9:43.05 (PR)* |
| 3000m Steeplechase, Women |
4. Kate Riley, 11:58.58 | 5. Annie Ripol, 12:02.57 (PR)* | 7. Hannah Schwab, 12:12.43 (PR)* |
| 1500m, Men |
2. Oscar Counsell, 4:00.11 | 21. Jack Chandler, 4:25.27 (PR) |
| 1500m, Women |
5. Grace Kirk, 4:51.56 (PR) | 11. Rowe Crawford, 5:00.00 |
| 400m, Men |
15. Brian Gutro, 53.32 | 18. Owen Garrett, 54.62 |
| 100m, Women |
22. Neev Agarwal, 14.21 |
| 800m, Women |
13. Lucia Ianello, 2:21.93 |
| 400m Hurdles, Women |
10. Kirah Tianga, 1:11.28 | 16. Cassandra Daniele, 1:16.01 (PR)* | 18. Eva Gibson, 1:18.36 (PR)* |
| 200m, Men |
22. Brian Gutro, 24.65 | 24. Owen Garrett, 24.90 (PR) |
| 200m, Women |
11. Chloee Dotts, 27.24 | 27. Jessica Bakas, 28.58 | 30. Neev Agarwal, 29.71 | 32. Tori Maignan, 30.22 (PR) |
| 3000m, Men |
6. Cooper Michaud, 8:48.70 | 11. Alex Murphy, 8:58.08 |
| 3000m, Women |
6. Skyler Tatum, 10:20.77 (PR) | 10. Brooke Evans, 10:42.08 (PR) |
