Collin Ochs (shown here) was on the team that made history Friday. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
On Friday night, URI’s distance medley team broke a nearly 40-year-old record at the Terrier Classic in Boston.
The team, consisting of Tyler Rubush, Liam Creeley, Collin Ochs and Kellen Waters, placed fourth with a time of 9:43:17. The time broke a record set in 1985 by Gilman Brown, Jim Pratt, Tennyson Muindi and Greg Hale, who finished the event in 9:55.46.
The distance medley relay (DMR) is a race that consists of four legs with each member running a different distance. The first runner runs 1200 meters (six laps), the second runner runs 400 meters (two laps), the third runner runs 800 meters (four laps) and the anchor runner runs 1600 meters (eight laps). Rhode Island Men’s Track and Field Coach Trent Baltzell wasn’t surprised that this particular group was able to achieve this feat.
“This team has definitely built chemistry during their time together over the past few years,” Baltzell said. “Supporting and having each other’s backs definitely led to them growing as a group. It’s nice to see these guys who work so hard together finally get recognition they may not usually receive.”
Due to last weekend’s blizzard, the rest of the action came from the women’s track and field team, who participated in full force. The team set over a dozen college marks and personal/season bests. There were also multiple qualifying marks for the New England Championships.
Senior Trinity Smith, who placed third in the 60 meter hurdles, qualified with a time of 8.69. Smith also ran in the 200 meters, earning a New England and season-best time of 25.58. Graduate student Bethany DeLoof finished in 1:15.30 in the 500 meters, which is currently the second-best time in the Atlantic 10. DeLoof finished seventh overall. Smith and DeLoof also participated in the 4×400 relay team that finished in sixth place with a time of 3:56.85.
Graduate student Julia Campezato finished third in the 60 meter finals with a time of 8.00 seconds, and sophomore Molly Sabia finished in 18:10.7 in her 5000 meter debut.
In the field events, junior Sydney Shannon won her flight in the pole vault, finishing ninth overall and matching her season-best of 3.45 meters. Graduate student Samantha Andrews was the top finisher for the Rams in the weight throw, placing 14th with a distance of 15.57 meters. Rhode Island Women’s Track and Field Coach Laurie Feit-Melnick was very happy with the team’s overall performance.
“There were over a dozen personal and team bests records,” Feit-Melnick said. “It was very exciting to see everyone take advantage of this opportunity before next weekend’s New England Championships.”
The competition continues to ramp up for both the men’s and women’s track and field teams. Up next, they return to Boston for bragging rights in the region, competing at the New England Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center this Friday and Saturday. The meet is scheduled to begin Friday at 10 a.m.