NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Following an incredibly successful day of competition at Boston University Friday, the Yale women's track and field team returned to Coxe Cage on Saturday to put down even more impressive marks with multiple personal records at the Giegengack Invitational. The Bulldogs put their hard work to the test against local competition as well as fellow Ivy League members. The meet provided a great opportunity for the Bulldogs to sharpen up before focusing their attention on the Ivy League Championships in two short weeks.
The day started off strong with impressive performances by the field event groups. Continuing her successful season, sophomore Eileen Yang placed first in the pole vault with a jump of 3.70 meters. Yang has won three out of her four competitions this season, proving that she is more than ready for the competition in the weeks that follow. In the shot put, first year Violette Perry finished first for the Bulldogs and fifth overall with a throw of 13.19 meters. This was a personal record for her by .58 meters.
In the weight throw, senior Emma Vasen placed third with a personal record of 17.06 meters. Sophomore Maria Leskovec finished sixth in the event, also securing a personal record (15.25 meters). In the long jump, sophomore Sydney Kunkler continued the streak of personal records by the Bulldogs by placing fifth with a jump of 5.56 meters. Sophomore Bharathi Subbiah and junior Karen Kirunda jumped 11.08 meters and 11.06 meters respectively to claim fifth and sixth place in the triple jump.
In the sprinting events, Ava Thomas had a successful day, setting a personal record of 7.78 in the 60 meter dash and securing first place. Sophomore Ella Mainwaring Foster and first year Arielle Moore raced side-by-side in the 400 meter event, securing second and third place respectively. Working together, both women earned personal records. In the 200 meter dash, sophomore Mira Thakur cruised to victory with a time of 25.73 seconds and a shiny new personal record. Kunkler also competed, placing fourth in the event. Also on the track, sophomore Sophia Karperos earned third place in the mile with an indoor personal record of 5:16.33. The day was concluded by a third-place performance in the 4x400 meter relay. Yale's team of Mainwaring Foster, Moore, Peyton Parker and Thakur worked together to run 4:00.35.
The hard work invested by the Bulldogs certainly did not go unnoticed today, and the great improvements across the board show that they are ready for future challenges. The women will turn their attention to the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, Feb. 27 at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City. There is no doubt that the Bulldogs will put on a show against Ivy League competition. Saturday's multiple personal records, combined with a pair of school records set Friday (senior Kayley DeLay in the 3000m run and senior Libby McMahon in the 200m dash) and another set the week before (the 4x400 relay), indicate that the Bulldogs are only getting started.
"Three school records in the last week gives us a good indication that we are progressing well across the board," said David Shoehalter, Yale's Mark T. Young '68 Director of Cross Country and Track and Field. "It's exciting to watch our entire group as they have raised the bar each weekend."
