Individually and as a team, SLU track and field has thrived in the past few weeks. On April 11, SLU sophomore Ann Harlos and senior Michael Reader were named Atlantic 10 Performers of the Week. Then, SLU track and field saw numerous school records and personal records fall in the Tom Botts Invitational at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Then, due to his performance in the high jump at the Mizzou Invitational, freshman Ethan Erusha was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on April 18.
Harlos and Reader won their awards after a successful SLU Invitational, which was held at the Medical Center Stadium on the medical campus. Harlos, during the meet, registered a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles. She crossed the finish line in a time of 1:01.23, good for third overall. She showcased her versatility with a time of 14.78 in the 100-meter hurdles, good for second place. Her 400-meter hurdles time is unbeaten so far in the Atlantic 10.
Meanwhile, Reader won the high jump at the SLU Invitational, reaching a height of 1.95 meters, a personal best this season. The 1.95 meter jump was also, at the time, tied for the top jump in the Atlantic 10 this season.
This past Saturday, the Billikens traveled to compete at the University of Missouri’s Tom Botts Invitational. On the first day of the meet, Friday, April 14, sophomore Tannock Blair set the SLU school record in the 1,500-meter race, finishing in 3:48.86. He also won the event with that time, finishing off a great day for the distance runner.
Over in the field events, sophomore Jaryn Blackshear-Bryant improved upon his own school record in the high jump, registering a mark of 6.67 meters. Overall, the SLU men and women’s teams finished fourth, in a meet that included schools including Missouri, Nebraska and Northern Iowa.
In the Tom Botts Invitational, Ann Harlos finished third in the 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 1:02.51. Freshman Megan Kress finished fifth in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:39.79. Then, junior Jasmine Jefko finished fifth in the shot put, recording a distance of 12.70 meters.
First place finishers, other than Blair in the 1,500 meters, included Erusha in the triple jump with a distance of 13.41 meters. Blair finished second in the 800 meters, with a time of 1:52.82. Sophomore Manuel de Backer finished second in the 5,000-meter race, earning a time of 14:34.50. Sophomore Alexander Eldridge threw the javelin 44.42 meters.
SLU’s 4×100 relay team was the final second-place finish for SLU. The team, composed of Blackshear-Bryant, sophomore Will Moore, junior Josh Freivogel, and senior Kyle Clinkingbeard, ran the total of 400 meters in 43.73. Sophomore Dorrian Gordon finished third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, in a time of 9:57.94. Blackshear-Bryant threw the javelin 42.51 meters, good for third place in the event.
Next up for the Billikens, on April 21-22, is the Pacesetter Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.
