The BG track team took a nice step forward this weekend, collecting 96 points and placing second at the Jane Herrmann Invitational. The University of Dayton would win the meet with 150 points with IPFW coming in third with a total of 50.
The Falcons took home four first place finishes with six athletes setting personal records along the way.
“I was very pleased with our performance this week,” said coach Cami Wells. “I feel that we made a lot of improvement this week.”
Perhaps the most surprising first place finish for BG came from sophomore Heather Conger who took home top honors in the 800-meter run despite competing while she was nearly blind. Conger, who wears contact lenses, had an allergic reaction to her contact solution, causing inflammation in her eyes. Conger did not want to wear glasses while she ran because she feared they would bounce around on her nose, thus she made the decision to compete without the assistance of any eyewear, although it took some last minute prodding from Wells for her to do so.
“I was reluctant to run at first,” Conger said. “However coach [Wells] kept telling me that I was in great physical shape and that I should not let this problem get in the way of the competitive experience,” Conger said.
Conger added that winning was made that much sweeter in light of the difficulties she had to overcome.
“It [winning] was definitely more satisfying,” Conger said. “During the race I was just focusing on keeping my head down and staying out front so I wouldn’t trip over anybody.”
“Heather is an extremely talented young lady who works very hard,” Wells said. “What she did showed a lot about her character.”
Another Falcon who took home a first place finish was long jumper Brittani McNeal, who recorded a personal best 5.71 meter leap. McNeal, who is nursing a strained hamstring, seemed as surprised as anybody about her jump. “I knew I was improving but I did not expect a jump like this so soon in the season,” McNeal said.
The sophomore, from Romeoville, Ill., could tell from the moment she landed that her jump was special.
“This landing felt different from all the other ones,” McNeal said. “Normally when I come down my body is sprawled out all over the place. However, this time I landed in one spot. When that happened, I knew it was a good jump.”
In a repeat performance from last week, Whitney Hartman once again came out on top in the weight throw with a toss of 17.94 meters. While she was happy with her first-place finish, Hartman noted that she still has a lot of improving to do.
“I was not very happy with the way I threw tonight,” Hartman said. “It was nice to finish in first, but for some reason my distance has been coming down,” said Hartman, whose two winning throws prior to this weekend each exceeded 18 meters.
The other first place finisher for BG was Ashley Spates, who won the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:01.64.
The Falcons will be back in action this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. when they host the Tom Wright Classic.
For news, notes and opinions on all BG sports, check out www.bgnewssports.com.
Contact sports reporter Chris Rambo at [email protected].
