Bowdoin's track teams came away from their meets this weekend with major hardware. They won 22 events, and had three NESCAC Performer of the Week honorees between them. The men competed at the Maine State Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Colby, while the women hosted the Aloha Relays at home.
The men's team placed second overall behind Bates, beating the University of Southern Maine and Colby. Highlighting the performance were Chris Martin '12, who won both the long and triple jumps, Sam Chick '13, who set a new meet record in the 400-meter hurdles, and Matt Hillard '12 and Coby Horowitz '14, who finished first and second, a mere .31 seconds apart, in the 1500-meter run. The men's 4x100-meter relay also took home gold.
The women's team took first place of seven teams, defeating the University of Southern Maine, Colby, Bates, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Husson.
Impressively, both the men and women Polar Bears managed to win all of the long distance races. Sam Seekins '14 won the 5000-meter run, Greg Talpey '14 won the 10,000 meter run, James Boeding '14 won the 3000-meter steeplechase, Madelena Rizzo '14 won the 5000 meter run, Molly Porcher '13 won the 10,000 meter hurdles, and Anna Ackerman '12 won the 3000-meter steeplechase.
"I think that's the first time it's ever happened. This is a state with very good male and female distance running teams, and to win all the long distance races took a lot of great racing by Bowdoin runners," said Head Coach Peter Slovenski.
Event winners also included Elsa Millett '12 in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, Emily Clark '15 in the 400-meter hurdles, the women's 4x400- and 4x100-meter relays, Erin Silva '15 in the pole vault, Randi London '15 in the shot put, and Katherine Harmon '14 in the hammer throw.
Chick, Millett and Silva—who set a new school outdoor women's record in the vault—were named NESCAC Performers of the Week for their efforts.
Three seniors—Annie Huyler, Laura Peterson, and Millett—became the first three Bowdoin athletes to win Aloha Relay events in all four years.
Huyler won the heptathlon after taking six out of the seven events, while both Peterson and Millett were double winners this year. Peterson won the long jump and triple jump.
"This has been such a wonderful class of track and field athletes," said Slovenski. "Annie, Laura, and Elsa hold nine school records. They have all made terrific contributions to the team at the state, New England, and national level."
-Compiled by Rachel Gladstone.