Competing without a full team, Vandal track and field came out big in the Vandal Collegiate Friday and Saturday in the Kibbie Dome. Twenty career bests were set in a weekend where many athletes needed good times and marks going into the WAC Indoor Championships Feb. 23 to 25 in Boise. It was the first Vandal Collegiate since 2010.
“I don’t think I leave the meet feeling wanted for anything (more),” said Idaho Director of Track and Field Wayne Phipps. “I thought we got in some good competition, competed really well and put up some really good marks.”
One area the Vandals excelled in was men’s pole vault. Senior Jeremy Klas won the event in a jump off with Robbie Haynie from Eastern Oregon, clearing 17-7.75 feet (5.38m). Idaho sophomore Dylan Watts placed third with a 5-inch personal record of 16-06.75 feet.
“I guess I was waiting for a PR (personal record) like this because in practice I had been vaulting really well and then in meets the nerves would get me,” Watts said. “Today it just kind of came together I guess.”
Watts said Vandal pole vaulters could “potentially sweep the top three or four spots in the WAC Championships.”
The Vandals also did well in throwing events. Junior Kristine Leonard was the top collegiate finisher in the women’s weight throw with a toss of 55-10.5 feet (17.03m). She had some poor attempts to start the meet, but pulled through on her final toss to achieve a personal record. She broke her previous personal best by nearly four feet.
“I’ve been working on a few things in practice that I knew would help me throw farther, just nothing had really clicked yet,” Leonard said. “I think that being here at home and being more comfortable with the surroundings was able to let me think of my technique a little bit better and how to make things happen.”
On the men’s side, sophomore Kyle Rothwell won the weight throw with a toss of 58-11.5 feet — a career best for him and No. 2 in the WAC.
“It’s wonderful (having all these personal records) going into championship week because that brings confidence to the kids,” Idaho throwing coach Julie Taylor said. “They know that when they go down to Boise that they are throwing at their best and having their best performances.”
Senior Rendel Jones was another first-place finisher for the Vandal men with a triple jump of 44-7 feet (13.59m). Ben Ayesu-Attah was the top collegiate finisher in the 400 meter with a personal best time of 48.75 seconds. Nike’s Jeshua Anderson, a Washington State graduate, won the event.
Despite holding out some of their best distance runners, the Vandals also placed well in distance events. Junior Liga Velvere placed first in the women’s 800 meter in 2:08.46 minutes.
“We didn’t compete everybody but I thought that the people that did compete, competed very well,” Phipps said. “We had a number of season bests and I think that helps a lot confidence-wise going into conference.”
Stephan Wiebe can be reached at [email protected]