WKU Track and Field has a great showing at Bellarmine

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - In just its second meet of the season, Western Kentucky Track and Field turned in several big performances to secure multiple victories Friday at the Bellarmine Open.

Both the men and women combined to win four events on the day with victories coming in both running and field events.

“We had a few really strong performances today with event wins and PRs,” said WKU Head Coach Brent Chumbley. “Julian ran well in the 200 for the win, and Brett also won the weight throw. Grace had a PR in the high jump for the win. Maybe the biggest PR of the day, and win, was Ajla in the weight throw. Her 18.91 is about a meter best. As a team, we are still shaking off the Christmas rust, but making moves in the right direction.”

WKU’s most successful event on the day was the weight throw where the women took the top-three spots and the men secured the top-two. Ajla Basic won the event on the women’s side by throwing a career-best 18.91m. Tayelor Thrasher-Walker finished right behind her with a 15.80 and Aitana Safont Falomir took third with a 14.68m. On the men’s side, Brett Brannon secured a victory in the event by throwing 17.62m. Teammate Kaison Barton finished as the runner up with a throw of 17.05m.

The other victory for the Hilltoppers on the women’s side came in the high jump when Grace Turner cleared 1.70m to secure the win. All-American Katie Isenbarger also hit the 1.70m mark, but Turner earned the victory on misses.

In the running events, WKU secured its final victory of the day when Julian Klenner won the 200M race by turning in a time of 21.55. Gabriel Dozier joined him in the top-three of that event by clocking in at 22.20.

The Tops got several other strong performances on the day, including top-three finishes from Turner and Devon Montgomery in the pole vault. After winning the high jump, Turner cleared 3.53m to finish third while Montgomery’s performance of 4.43m earned him second place. Dozier added to his strong 200M performance by finishing second in the 60M. Barton also claimed a second runner-up finish in the shot put, and John Elam finished right behind him in third.

WKU will be back in Louisville next weekend when it travels to the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational hosted by Louisville.

WOMEN’S RESULTS

Mile

20th – Rylee Evans – 5:30.27

27th – Lucy Rutherford – 5:38.76

400M

23rd – Madison Rabe – 1:02.42

26th – Rachel Payne – 1:06.20

800M

11th – Addie Frisch – 2:28.44

Long Jump

13th – Ashleigh Teater – 4.81m

16th – Rachel Payne – 4.51m

Pole Vault

3rd – Grace Turner – 3.53m

Weight Throw

1st – Ajla Basic – 18.91m

2nd – Tayelor Thrasher-Walker – 15.80m

3rd – Aitana Safont Falomir – 14.68m

High Jump

1st – Grace Turner – 1.70m

2nd – Katie Isenbarger – 1.70m

8th – Allison Arnett – 1.55m

MEN’S RESULTS

60M Hurdles

6th – Dailin Siggers – 8.84

60M

2nd – Gabriel Dozier – 7.04

4th – Steven Simmons – 7.05

11th – Julian Klenner – 7.18

400M

7th – Teodoro DaSilva – 51.68

800M

6th – Dalton Lesher – 1:57.92

12th – Jordan Eddy – 2:00.51

14th – Wade Balcom – 2:01.78

15th – Brad Wiggins – 2:02.15

17th – Garrett Steed – 2:03.80

200M

1st – Julian Klenner – 21.55

3rd – Gabriel Dozier – 22.20

9th – Demetrius Rolle – 22.59

10th – Steven Simmons – 22.69

4x400

3rd – Klenner, DaSilva, Dozier, Rolle – 3:24.01

Shot Put

2nd – Kaison Barton – 15.85m

3rd – John Elam – 14.50m

Pole Vault

2nd – Devon Montgomery – 4.43m

Weight Throw

1st – Brett Brannon – 17.62m

2nd – Kaison Barton – 17.05m

5th – John Elam – 15.50m

6th – Luke Stegman – 15.00m

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