Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, May 1
Columbus, Ohio
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
Jesse Owens Classic
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Chloe Smith
Trio of Eagles Earns Wins at Jesse Owens Track Classic
5/1/2015 11:59:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Travis Harris, Nick Raymond, and Warren Witchell all win their respective events
Complete Results
Photo Gallery
COLUMBUS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com)—Eastern Michigan University's men's track and field team had a strong day in the opening portion of the Jesse Owens Track Classic, May 1, claiming three winning finishes throughout six events.
The first win of the day came on the field, when Travis Harris (Walled Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Central) won the shot put by more than a foot with a throw of 17.06 meters/55 feet 11.75-inches. Following Harris in the finals were Keith Williams (Sherman, Ill.-Williamsville) and Quinn Levering (Caledonia, Ohio-River Valley) in sixth and seventh paced by Williams with a hurl of 15.73 meters/51 feet 7.25-inches and Levering throwing just a centimeter shy of his teammate.
Also placing on the field for the day was Solomon Ijah (Murrieta, Calif.-Murrieta Valley), who took third in the javelin throw with a mark of 59.27 meters/194 feet 5-inches, and was one of just six athletes to hit the qualifying mark to advance to the finals.
Eastern quickly picked up another victory in the opening event of the track session, with Nick Raymond (Erie, Mich.-Mason) winning his collegiate outdoor debut in the 5000m run in 14:41.75. Raymond kept pace with the lead pack throughout the entirety of the collegiate section, pulling into the top-three in the final kilometer before making a push for his first ever EMU career win in the last lap. The Eagles also had a thrilling race in the showcase section of the 5000m run. Warren Witchell (Williamston, Mich.-Dansville) claimed the victory thanks to a powerful burst down the back stretch to win in 14:21.86, while Hlynur Andresson (Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland-Mountain Ridge (Alderson Broaddus) claimed third in 14:24.25 and Dixon finished 11th in 15:25.13.
Following the 5000m races, Caleb Hess (Owosso, Mich.-Owosso) represented the Green and White in the 1500m run, setting a personal record of 3:57.51 to finish 22nd overall in a strong field that was won by Eastern alum Grzegorz Kalinowski in a time that was not far off his collegiate best.
In the nightcap race of the 3000m steeplechase, Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio-Maumee) continued his bid to enter the elite ranks of EMU's all-time top-10 list. The redshirt-sophomore took an early lead, but home crowd favorite Jackson Neff of Ohio State slipped past in the final 800 meters to claim the victory. Nonetheless, Fink shaved nearly two seconds off his personal record and finished in 8:53.55, followed by Steve Hammond (Warsaw, Ohio-River View (Wingate)) in 9:17.56. Hammond's sprint down the final 100 meters of the track paid off, as the senior surged past unattached athletes Neil Klinger and Kurt Steinmuller to best the pair by less than half a second.
The Eagles will resume competition tomorrow, May 2, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The field events will begin with the pole vault at 10 a.m., while action on the track will kick off at 12:05 p.m. with the 4x100m relay.
EMU Individual Results (* signifies a personal best, ^ is a MAC qualifying mark)
Photo Gallery
COLUMBUS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com)—Eastern Michigan University's men's track and field team had a strong day in the opening portion of the Jesse Owens Track Classic, May 1, claiming three winning finishes throughout six events.
The first win of the day came on the field, when Travis Harris (Walled Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Central) won the shot put by more than a foot with a throw of 17.06 meters/55 feet 11.75-inches. Following Harris in the finals were Keith Williams (Sherman, Ill.-Williamsville) and Quinn Levering (Caledonia, Ohio-River Valley) in sixth and seventh paced by Williams with a hurl of 15.73 meters/51 feet 7.25-inches and Levering throwing just a centimeter shy of his teammate.
Also placing on the field for the day was Solomon Ijah (Murrieta, Calif.-Murrieta Valley), who took third in the javelin throw with a mark of 59.27 meters/194 feet 5-inches, and was one of just six athletes to hit the qualifying mark to advance to the finals.
Eastern quickly picked up another victory in the opening event of the track session, with Nick Raymond (Erie, Mich.-Mason) winning his collegiate outdoor debut in the 5000m run in 14:41.75. Raymond kept pace with the lead pack throughout the entirety of the collegiate section, pulling into the top-three in the final kilometer before making a push for his first ever EMU career win in the last lap. The Eagles also had a thrilling race in the showcase section of the 5000m run. Warren Witchell (Williamston, Mich.-Dansville) claimed the victory thanks to a powerful burst down the back stretch to win in 14:21.86, while Hlynur Andresson (Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland-Mountain Ridge (Alderson Broaddus) claimed third in 14:24.25 and Dixon finished 11th in 15:25.13.
Following the 5000m races, Caleb Hess (Owosso, Mich.-Owosso) represented the Green and White in the 1500m run, setting a personal record of 3:57.51 to finish 22nd overall in a strong field that was won by Eastern alum Grzegorz Kalinowski in a time that was not far off his collegiate best.
In the nightcap race of the 3000m steeplechase, Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio-Maumee) continued his bid to enter the elite ranks of EMU's all-time top-10 list. The redshirt-sophomore took an early lead, but home crowd favorite Jackson Neff of Ohio State slipped past in the final 800 meters to claim the victory. Nonetheless, Fink shaved nearly two seconds off his personal record and finished in 8:53.55, followed by Steve Hammond (Warsaw, Ohio-River View (Wingate)) in 9:17.56. Hammond's sprint down the final 100 meters of the track paid off, as the senior surged past unattached athletes Neil Klinger and Kurt Steinmuller to best the pair by less than half a second.
The Eagles will resume competition tomorrow, May 2, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The field events will begin with the pole vault at 10 a.m., while action on the track will kick off at 12:05 p.m. with the 4x100m relay.
EMU Individual Results (* signifies a personal best, ^ is a MAC qualifying mark)
| 1500m Run | |
| 22. Hess, Caleb | 3:57.51* |
| 5000m Run Showcase | |
| 1. Witchell, Warren | 14:21.86^ |
| 3. Andresson, Hlynur | 14:24.25*^ |
| 11. Dixon, Harry | 15:25.13 |
| 3000m Steeplechase | |
| 2. Fink, Willy | 8:53.55*^ |
| 4. Hammond, Steve | 9:17.56 |
| Javelin Throw | |
| 3. Ijah, Solomon | 59.27m/194-05 |
| Shot Put | |
| 1. Harris, Travis | 17.06m/55-11.75^ |
| 6. Williams, Keith | 15.73m/51-07.25 |
| 7. Levering, Quinn | 15.72m/51-07.00 |
| 5000m Run Section 1 | |
| 1. Raymond, Nick | 14:41.75* |
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