CAMPUS CLIPS: Lake Orion grad Allen sets WMU record
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Western Michigan track and field standouts Chiara Allen and Iris Campbell made history as they each broke school records on the final day of the Meyo Invitational at the University of Notre Dame on Saturday.
Allen, a 2010 graduate of Lake Orion, broke the triple jump school record previously held by Joy Eloms with a distance of 40 feet, eight inches. Her record distance placed her fifth in the event in a field of some of the nation’s best jumpers. Teammate Whitney Freeman also had a good day in the triple jump with a new personal best of 38-11.75.
JUMPING FOR GLORY: LAke ORion graduate and curent Western Michigan sophomore Chiara Allen broke the school record in the triple jump Saturday. Courtesy Photo | Zolten Cohen, Western Michigan Sports Information and Communications.
“Those two are really giving us a nice solid one-two punch in the triple jump,” said head coach Kelly Lycan. “Chiara had been on the edge of a couple of big jumps all season and it was nice to see her get one today.”
While Allen lowered Eloms’ name in the record book, Campbell broke her own school record in the 200 meter dash that she set at last year’s Indoor Mid-American Conference Championship. Her record-breaking time of 24.18 seconds put her in second place in the event. Sophomore Andrea Arnold finished in 11th with a season-best time of 24.84 seconds.
Earlier in the day Campbell nearly broke Danielle Brown’s school record in the 60 meter hurdles, which seemed to jump-start her day. She finished in fourth place with a time of 8.60 seconds, just .08 shy of Brown’s mark.
“Her performance in the hurdles really got her going,” added Lycan. “It is good to see Iris getting on track at this point in the season.”
In the middle distance races Rachel Whitley passed the five minute barrier in the open mile race with a time of 4:55.81, finishing in fifth place. Cara Cremeans nearly passed five minutes with her time of 5:01.79, while Alex Forsythe finished with a time of 5:12.92.
The Broncos also took first place in the 1,600-meter relay, nearly breaking 3:40 with a time of 3:40.05. Arnold, Campbell, Victoria Chatman and Leya Munwam combined for the first place team, beating out second place Eastern Michigan by over two seconds.
Chatman also ran in the open 400 meter dash, her first time competing in the event in two years. The senior sprinter finished with a time of 56.64.
Western Michigan splits up next week with some of the team heading down to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational, while the rest make the short drive up to the GVSU Invite.
Category: Campus Clips, Colleges / Other, Most Recently Updated Stories, Sports Shorts, Uncategorized
