University of Minnesota Athletics
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Wrap Up B1G Florida Invite
4/3/2021 8:25:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
Minnesota added four more titles on day two in Florida to total eight event champions for the weekend.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Golden Gopher track & field program won four events and recorded three all-time program top-10 marks on day two at the B1G Florida Invitational on Saturday.
"There were a lot of bright spots this weekend, and it was great to get in another outdoor meet," director of track & field/cross country Matt Bingle said. "I like where our group is headed. Kaleb Siekmeier, Kostas Zaltos, Tess Keyzers, Amira Young, and Abigail Schaaffe all had solid performances this weekend, and overall we had quite a few lifetime PRs. This upcoming week will be an important training week for this group, and I'm excited to see our distance crew compete at Indiana next weekend."
Siekmeier led the Gopher men with a win in the men's discus invite. Siekmeier recorded a career-best throw of 57.04m (187-01 ft.) to win the meet and move into eighth on Minnesota's all-time list. Ekhardt Van der Watt also earned a top-three finish in the field events on the men's side, finishing third in pole vault by clearing 5.11m (16-09.25 ft.).
After winning the women's 400-meter hurdles on Friday, Schaaffe took home the women's 400-meter title as well. Schaaffe ran 54.72 to debut at 10th on Minnesota's all-time list. She led three Gophers in the top three as Janielle Josephs was second and Val Larson finished third.
Young won the 200 meters and finished second in the 100 meters for the Gopher women. She clocked a wind-aided time of 23.44 seconds in the 200 meters, which unofficially ties Minnesota's oldest program record held by Jane Oas since 1976. Young posted a time of 11.39 as 100-meter runner-up as well, just 0.03 off her own program record time of 11.36 set in the 2019 season.
Young also anchored the runner-up 4x100-meter relay team, joining Jayla Campbell, Janielle Josephs, and Lexi Romero to run a season-opening time of 45.67 for second place.
Larson, Kayla Vogt, Josephs, and Schaaffe closed out the meet with a win in the women's 4x400-meter relay, clocking a time of 3:40.70.
The Maroon & Gold finished the meet with eight event crowns as Allison Gerads, Erin Dunning, Zaltos, and Schaaffe won titles on day one of the meet Friday.
The Gophers are back in action next weekend when they return to Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Big Ten Invite #2 on Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10.
Gopher Event Champions
Amira Young, women's 200 meters
Abigail Schaaffe, women's 400 meters
Abigail Schaaffe, women's 400-meter hurdles invite
Val Larson, Kayla Vogt, Janielle Josephs, Abigail Schaaffe, women's 4x400-meter relay
Allison Gerads, women's long jump
Erin Dunning, women's hammer throw
Kaleb Siekmeier, men's discus invite
Kostas Zaltos, men's hammer throw invite
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"There were a lot of bright spots this weekend, and it was great to get in another outdoor meet," director of track & field/cross country Matt Bingle said. "I like where our group is headed. Kaleb Siekmeier, Kostas Zaltos, Tess Keyzers, Amira Young, and Abigail Schaaffe all had solid performances this weekend, and overall we had quite a few lifetime PRs. This upcoming week will be an important training week for this group, and I'm excited to see our distance crew compete at Indiana next weekend."
Siekmeier led the Gopher men with a win in the men's discus invite. Siekmeier recorded a career-best throw of 57.04m (187-01 ft.) to win the meet and move into eighth on Minnesota's all-time list. Ekhardt Van der Watt also earned a top-three finish in the field events on the men's side, finishing third in pole vault by clearing 5.11m (16-09.25 ft.).
After winning the women's 400-meter hurdles on Friday, Schaaffe took home the women's 400-meter title as well. Schaaffe ran 54.72 to debut at 10th on Minnesota's all-time list. She led three Gophers in the top three as Janielle Josephs was second and Val Larson finished third.
Young won the 200 meters and finished second in the 100 meters for the Gopher women. She clocked a wind-aided time of 23.44 seconds in the 200 meters, which unofficially ties Minnesota's oldest program record held by Jane Oas since 1976. Young posted a time of 11.39 as 100-meter runner-up as well, just 0.03 off her own program record time of 11.36 set in the 2019 season.
Young also anchored the runner-up 4x100-meter relay team, joining Jayla Campbell, Janielle Josephs, and Lexi Romero to run a season-opening time of 45.67 for second place.
Larson, Kayla Vogt, Josephs, and Schaaffe closed out the meet with a win in the women's 4x400-meter relay, clocking a time of 3:40.70.
The Maroon & Gold finished the meet with eight event crowns as Allison Gerads, Erin Dunning, Zaltos, and Schaaffe won titles on day one of the meet Friday.
The Gophers are back in action next weekend when they return to Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Big Ten Invite #2 on Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10.
Gopher Event Champions
Amira Young, women's 200 meters
Abigail Schaaffe, women's 400 meters
Abigail Schaaffe, women's 400-meter hurdles invite
Val Larson, Kayla Vogt, Janielle Josephs, Abigail Schaaffe, women's 4x400-meter relay
Allison Gerads, women's long jump
Erin Dunning, women's hammer throw
Kaleb Siekmeier, men's discus invite
Kostas Zaltos, men's hammer throw invite
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