EIU Track Opens Outdoor Season
Saturday, March 29 2008 - EIU Invite
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois opened the 2008 outdoor track season with the Panthers hosting the EIU Invite on Saturday afternoon as thirteen individual athletes picked up first place finishes.
Seven female athletes picked up individual wins while six male athletes placed first. The women’s 4x100 relay team also placed first as EIU hosted Indiana State and Western Illinois. With the event being scored as dual meets between each school, Indiana State defeated both EIU and WIU on both the men’s and women’s sides. EIU knocked off WIU head-to-head.
Violet Nwordu was a first place finisher in two sprints placing first in the 100m and 200m dash. Nwordu edged teammate Molly Clutter in both events winning the 100m at 12.51 and the 200m in 25.31. Clutter crossed at 12.76 and 26.21 in both events.
Sophomore Kandace Arnold was a first place finisher in two throwing events winning the discus and shot put. Arnold’s throw of 137’01” in the discus was a personal record and moved Arnold into 10th place on the Panthers career list. Her winning toss in the shot put was marked at 44’02.75”.
Additional event winners included Nicole Walcott in the high jump with a winning jump of 5’02.25”. Jaimee Phegley won the javelin with a toss of 108’05. Chandra Golden won by split second margin in the 400m hurdles over teammate Samantha Manto. Golden crossed at 1:04.41 and Manto posted a 1:04.43.
On the men’s side senior Brenton Emanuel took home top honors in the 100m and 200m sprints. Emanuel won the 100m at 10.77 while his time of 21.63 won the 200m dash. His winning time in the 200m was a personal record.
Wes Sheldon was the first place finisher in the 800m run, winning the event by over a second. Sheldon won with a time of 1:53.13.
In field events Obe Eruteya, Mike Embry and Joe Noonan all picked up wins. Eruteya won the high jump with a mark of 6’07.75”. He also placed second in the long jump and triple jump. Embry was the long jump winner with a distance of 21’05.25”.
Noonan a freshman won the pole vault with a vault of 15’01.00”. He was followed by teammates Dorian White in second place and Luke Craven in fourth.
The Panthers will return to action next weekend as they host the EIU Big Blue Classic.