Women's track decorated in Findlay
By Ryan Rogers
Sports Editor
February 6, 2008
The Lancers track and field team continued to excel in competition at the Findlay Invitational last week. The Men’s team is ranked first in Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) while the women’s team is ranked fourth heading into this season.
The women’s team had some excellent results and were led by gold medals finishes from Melissa Bishop in the women’s 600 metre dash, Hannah Eberhard in the 1,000 metre run, Erica Reiser in the pole vault, Natalie Phillips in the triple jump and the women’s 4x400 metre relay.
The ladies won silver medals from Steph Burch in the high jump, and Geniene Plummer in the long jump. The women also earned three bronze medals from Jessica Reid in the 1,000 metre run, Dayna Maaten in the pole vault and Natalie Phillips in the long jump.
The men’s team also fared well, as Jamie Adjetey-Nelson won gold in the long jump while Ben Warnock placed second, winning the silver. The men’s 4x800 metre relay also placed first. Kevin Savard won a bronze medal in the 600 metre run.
Head Coach Dennis Fairall says the women’s team will have difficulty putting up the same scores as last year after a strong graduating class. In particular, the women’s side will have a tough time repeating as champs having graduated five of their throwers from last season.
“On the women’s side we lose thirty points in the throws because we don’t have a female thrower. Last year we had five. So we have to make up thirty-two points that we got last year in the women’s throws.”
Fairall restates, “We will not get a point in the women’s throws this year.”
Pole vaulting rookie Erika Reiser has continued her strong start to the season by capturing her third consecutive gold medal after jumping 3.55 metres at the meet.
Fairall said, “Normally freshmen go through a bit of a transition from high school athletics to university athletics. She’s having a great season.” He continued, “To come in and compete as a freshman is quite astounding.”
The youth will be tested in the upcoming season as there will be 13 graduating teammates at the end of the year.
“We lose thirteen athletes who are graduating,” said Fairall, “and we lose a lot of leadership, like Lindsay Manning was the cross county coach, Shavonne Davis is the co-captain of the track team, (Kevin) Savard is co-captain of the track team. We are going to lose a lot of leadership and athletes.”
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