NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale men's track and field squad demonstrated clear improvement Saturday as the Bulldogs began their season with a dominant performance at the Yale Season Opener, held at the magnificent Coxe Cage.
The day began perfectly. In the high jump, Spencer O'Neill leaped into the 2-meter club with his third attempt to secure first place and a PR. Following him in the weight throw was Andrew Rochon, who threw an enormous 17.15m PR to win the event before launching the shot 15.13m to win that too. In the long jump, Odera Nweke began his career as a Bulldog in promising fashion, leaping 6.47m to take third. He would go on to win his 60m dash heat in 7.00 seconds.
In the short sprints, the Bulldogs demonstrated a level of depth that will undoubtedly turn heads in the league. Of the eight men that qualified for the 60m dash final, seven wore the Y. First year Trenton Charles provided the cage with perhaps the most thrilling performance of the day when he came within 0.02 seconds of the school record, running 6.79 in his very first race before winning the event in 6.81. Phil Zuccaro also displayed the hard work he has been putting in this fall, running a fantastic PR of 6.88 to take second. He was closely followed by senior Vincent Vaughns, who crossed the line in 6.92.
Alex Whittaker, representing all of the distance squad, then took to the track in the 1000m dash. The Maryland native ran a tactically perfect race, sitting in the pack before releasing a devastating kick with 300m to go, finishing in a time of 2.32.38 and setting himself up for a breakout track season.
Not to be outdone by his compatriots, senior Fergal Burnett-Small buried himself in the notoriously painful 500m dash. In front of adoring fans, the Brit went out in a blazing 37.5 for the first 300m, before cruising his last 200m in 30.44 for a time of 1.07.94. Juma Sei continued the Bulldog dominance, winning the 200m in a time of 22.03 without breaking a sweat.
The team then fielded three teams in the 4x400m relay in an open gesture of strength to the competitors and, indeed, the rest of the league. The teams went 1-2-3. The winning team, which included Chris Colbert, Harry Grindle, Sei and Zuccaro, won in a time of 3.18.17.
Though the meet was a resounding success, the Bulldogs know that this was just a warm-up – a validation that their training is working. Now it is time to build on what has clearly been a great fall and prepare for their best season in years.
