University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Mt. Sac Relays Combined Events
Multis Shine in 2016 Heptathlon Debut
4/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 14, 2016
AZUSA, Calif. - Four Golden Gophers set career-best times in the 800-meter run and Audra Winter earned a career-high 5,016 points as Minnesota's multi-event competitors wrapped up their 2016 heptathlon debuts at the Mt. SAC Relays/California Invitational heptathlon Thursday.
Jess Lehman led the Gophers with 5,917 points for a sixth-place finish in the Mt. SAC Relays heptathlon while Alex Beckman (5,034), Winter (5,016), and Amanda Beckman (4,842) placed 16th, 17th, and 23rd, respectively, in the California Invitational heptathlon as both competitions were held at Azusa Pacific University as part of the Mt. SAC Relays this week.
"It was good to see Audra come away with a lifetime best," director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle said. "It was great for Jess to get an NCAA-qualifying mark. It was a good effort by her, and now she can rest. Both Amanda and Alex had some good events with PRs in the 800m today and came away with some good things as well.
"Overall, it was a really good group effort and I'm happy with everything. We just need to rest and regroup and get ready for what comes with. We're in good shape for hopefully good things to come at the end of the season."
The Gophers began the heptathlon Wednesday and wrapped up action with long jump, javelin, and the 800m run Thursday.
After finishing day one in 12th place, Lehman used first-place showings in the javelin (46.54m) and 800m (2:12.17) to finish sixth of 21 competitors in the Mt. SAC Relays heptathlon. She also finished 11th in today's long jump with a leap of 5.77m. Her score of 5,917 is just 97 points off her Minnesota program record of 6,014 points.
Alex Beckman (2:24.13), Amanda Beckman (2:24.36), and Winter (2:21.93) all set career bests in the 800m to wrap up the heptathlon competition in the California Invitational as well.
Rookie Sofie Albrechtsen made her collegiate heptathlon debut for the Gophers this week, but she did not complete the event as she did not compete in the long jump.
"Sofie was a little sore, so we backed off a bit with her today," Bingle explained. "She had two lifetime bests and one heptathlon best though."
Members of the Gophers team are set to compete at the Holst Invitational hosted by Concordia St. Paul on Saturday. Action gets underway at 10 a.m. at Sea Foam Stadium in St. Paul, Minn.
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Players Mentioned
