Idaho opened the 2019 outdoor season at the Sam Adams Classic with strong performances across the board, with nine overall victories Friday in Spokane.
Sprints and middle distance
Junior Mack Baxter headlined the season opener for the Vandals with a win in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 53.09 seconds. The time earned him the Big Sky Track Athlete of the Week nod, as well as the fastest time in the conference this season. He currently sits at No. 47 in the country and No. 20 in the west.
Senior Kaleala Bass took home titles in both the women’s 400 meters and 200 meters. Bass won the 400 meters with a new personal record of 57.06 seconds, also good for third in conference. She finished in 25.97 seconds in the 200 meters.
Freshman Anna Pecha claimed second overall in the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:20.61. The time moves her into sixth in the Big Sky in the event.
In the women’s 4×400-meter relay, the squad of Bass, Pecha and freshmen Lauren Paven and Aaryanna Kurucz took home the title with a 4:07.28.
Kurucz also won the individual title in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.56.
Jumps
Junior Jordyn Rauer won the triple jump with a leap of 11.51 meters. Freshman Greta Kuhne was not far behind in third with a jump of 11.13 meters.
In the long jump, freshman Henrike Fiedler finished in second with a jump of 5.86 meters. Junior Rechelle Meade claimed third with a leap of 5.70 meters.
On the men’s side, junior Jonny Magee took the title in the triple jump with a 13.97-meter leap.
Long distance
Idaho women’s went finished first through third in the 1,500-meter run and moved into the top-five in the event in the conference. Junior Kara Story led the pack, finishing in first with a time of 4:33.03. Senior Andrea Condie finished steps behind in second with a 4:33.88. Sophomore Malaina Thacker rounded out the Idaho pack in third with a time of 4:34.38.
Freshman Ben Shaw took second in the event on the men’s side in 3:56.75.
Throws
Sophomore Hannah Ringel opened the season with strong performances in both shot put and the hammer throw. Ringel finished in second in the shot put with a throw of 14.47 meters to move into second in conference. She also grabbed a fifth place finish in the hammer throw and a new personal record, throwing 45.43 meters.