A majority of the Eastern Kentucky University track and field team opened the indoor season at the Kentucky Invitational this weekend at Nutter Fieldhouse.
All-American Charlotte Imer led the way for the women’s team, winning the 3,000 meters with an OVC-best time of 9:41.1 Imer now owns the top 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters (16:09.2) times in the conference.
Senior Ciara Scott (9:51.7 / third) and sophomore Lilian Jeptoo Kiborus (10:06.3 / fifth) also ran top-five OVC times in the 3,000 meters.
Sophomore Ke’Asia Johnson-Bell, meanwhile, ran 9.01 in the 60-meter hurdles (ninth in the OVC), while jumpers Liz Marcinek (17-9 in the long jump / ninth) and Darrian Botts (36-6.75 in the triple jump / 10th) also delivered top-10 OVC marks.
Preseason All-American Tequan Claitt highlighted the action for the men’s team. The Lexington native went 6-8.75 in the high jump, which is currently tops in the OVC. Junior Yoshua Reed, meanwhile, went 6-4.75, putting him second in the conference.
Sophomore jumper Jacob Alleyne delivered a big opening weekend, as well. He notched a 44-10.75 in the triple jump (fourth in the OVC) and 22-10.5 in the long jump (fifth in the OVC).
Freshman Ben Thoms made a solid collegiate debut in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 8.59 (eighth in the OVC).
In distance events, junior Greyson Winiger ran a personal-best 4:19.9 in the mile, putting him at fifth in the OVC. Freshman Zak Kirk, meanwhile, ranks seventh in the mile after running 4:20.04 on Saturday.
Junior Erick Rotich currently ranks eighth in the OVC in the 3,000 meters and clocking an 8:44.4 over the weekend.
The EKU track and field team returns to action at the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana next weekend (January 19-20).
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Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications