Continuing his personal successes that mirrors that of the entire Idaho track and field team this year, junior sprinter and hurdler Jesse Villines set another personal best mark while winning the 60-meter hurdles — as well as helping Idaho win the 4×400 relay. Villines’ victories came in the Vandal Indoor on Friday, but Idaho also competed in the Vandal Open on Saturday.
Curtis Ginnetti | Argonaut
Freshman Kayla Ockerse paces herself during the 3000-meter run. The Vandals grabbed 10 wins while hosting the Vandal Indoor and Vandal Open over the weekend.
“Jesse had another awesome day,” Idaho coach Wayne Phipps said. “It seems like every time he competes, he hits a personal best mark and for a 400 hurdler to run under 7 seconds in the 60 — it’s amazing.”
The Vandals competed in a pair of home meets, last weekend, winning a total of 10 events over two days. Idaho held the Vandal Indoor on Friday and the Vandal Open on Saturday in the Kibbie Dome.
Also competing well and getting a pair of first place finishes was senior sprinter Karlene Hurrel and junior Ben Ayesu-Attah. Hurrel won the 60 with a time of 7.65 by a mere hundredth of a second over WSU sprinter Danielle Darden. Hurrel went on to win the 200 by a more comfortable margin of .62 seconds.
“Karlene had an awesome day,” Phipps said. “We worked a little harder and longer up to the first meets and I think that is really paying off now.”
Along with being part of the winning 4×400 team with Villines, Ayesu-Attah also placed first in the 400 with a time of 47.42. Teammate and fellow 4×400 runner Andrew Bloom took second in the same event with a time of 48.04 giving Idaho the 1-2 finish.
For the field events, senior thrower Andrey Levkiv won the shot put with a throw of 53 feet, 11 inches on Saturday. Levikv’s individual victory was one of only two in a day that saw far less wins than Friday. Levikv has gotten a first-place finish for the past two weeks.
“For Andrey to come back from an injury and to be throwing as well as he is throwing is just amazing,” Phipps said. “Coming back at such high marks is incredible.”
Saturday’s other victory came in the triple jump. Freshman Arphaxad Carroll won the event followed by teammate and new Vandal Emmanuel Panchol. Carroll was also the top collegiate finisher in the 60 on Saturday finishing behind unattached runner Evan Walker.
“Arphaxad has had a great weekend overall,” Phipps said. “He did really well in the long jump yesterday and triple jump both days and ran a really good 60. For a freshman to be so successful in so many events so early on is very impressive.”
The Vandals will continue their season this weekend as they travel to Seattle, for the Husky Classic on Friday and Saturday and then the UW Open Sunday. This series of meets will be the first outside of the Palouse this season.
Curtis Ginnetti can be reached at [email protected]