The Butler track and field team competed at three different invitationals in two cities this weekend. The top distance runners competed at the Valentine and Eagle Elite Invitationals in Boston, Mass. while the rest of the team remained in Indiana to race at the Marian Indoor Invitationals.
The meets kicked off in Boston at the Eagle Elite Invitational with Jesse Hamlin etching his name in the history books once again. On Friday afternoon, Hamlin broke his previous program record in the men’s mile at 3:56.59 to place fifth out of 37 elite athletes. His mark jumps to fourth in the conference and 28th in the country. He also ran to a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s 3,000 meters in a time of 7:52.06. Elsa Rusthoven ran a new lifetime best int the women’s 3,000 meters at 9:27.11 to earn 12th place. She now cracks the Top 10 on Butler’s indoor list.
In the same city, Wiktoria Klebowska scratched 10 seconds off her personal best in the women’s 5,000 meters to record a time of 16:21.84. Her mark ranks as the sixth fastest indoor 5K in program history. Matthew Forrester’s time of 13:42.27 in the 5,000 meters was good for 36th overall and moves him to fourth on Butler’s indoor list for the event.
The Bulldogs also had student athletes who remained home to compete at the Marian Indoor Invitational inside the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Ashlyn Minton ran away with the win in the women’s 3,000 meters with a time of 10:15.19. Luke Finnegan claimed another title in the men’s 200 meters, winning the race at 21.49. Gavin Cougle followed just behind in third at 21.78.
Butler will look to regroup and head back to South Bend, Ind. for the Alex Wilson Invitational beginning on Feb. 17th.
