Usually, the first track meet of the season is used to let the young runners get their first chance at collegiate competition and ease the team into the season. On Friday and Saturday at the WSU Open in Pullman, Idaho’s Lauren Schaffer and Ben Ayesu-Attah had other plans.
Schaffer, a senior, ran for a victory in the women’s 600-meter race with her time of 1:34.35 minutes. The time converted to 1:33.19 after a track size adjustment notching Schaffer’s school record in an event she seldom runs.
“Lauren Schaffer, she’s just an amazing runner,” Idaho coach Julie Taylor said. “She ran in an event that she doesn’t normally run which is the 600-meter but that was what they had to offer. That’s actually a broken record that’s stood for a long time — from the early ‘80s. She’s such a good athlete and there was nobody pushing her through the whole thing too which is pretty amazing.”
On the men’s side, Ayesu-Attah, a sophomore, broke his own meet record in the 400-meter dash. Pushed by sophomore teammate Andrew Bloom, Ayesu-Attah finished in first place in 48.69 seconds. Bloom crossed the finish line in second in 48.74. Both Vandals easily beat the previous meet record of 49.75 by more than a full second, as well as the third place finisher Dana Wells in 50.35.
“Bloom actually had a big surge at the very end of the last lap and was about to pass (Ayesu-Attah) then Ben pushed on and beat him,” Taylor said. “The two of those guys, Ben and Andrew, are great training partners.
“(Ayesu-Attah) is kind of starting where he finished off last year when he was conference champ and made it to the first round of NCAA.”
Back on the women’s side, the Vandals dominated the throwing events. Sophomore Johanna Hocketstaller won the shot put on her last attempt of the night. Her toss of 47-0.75 feet secured her victory over senior teammate Kristine Leonard who finished in second with a toss of 46-7.5. Both throws were indoor career-bests for the Vandal throwers.
“That was a (personal record) for her and actually the seventh best throw at Idaho and she’s only a sophomore,” Taylor said of Hocketstaller.
Leonard also went on to finish first in the weight throw with her toss of 54-08.75. Her throw was more than nine feet farther than the next competitor.
“(Leonard) is just an all-around very good athlete,” Taylor said. “She’s just starting off very good for us. Both of those ladies are doing very well.”
Idaho competed this weekend with less than half its full squad. Taylor said that both the women’s and men’s teams could see 15 to 20 more athletes on either side compete next weekend at home at the Idaho Collegiate I.
“It was a really good start meet. We didn’t compete our entire team … but it was a great opportunity for a lot of our freshman to have their first collegiate experience and we had some really fine performances from them.”
Stephan Wiebe can be reached at [email protected]