BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin Wallace University men's outdoor track and field teams competed today (Saturday, April 18, 2009) on the newly installed track at The George Finnie Stadium today as it hosted the Sparky Adams Invitational Meet in Berea. The meet was unscored.
Prior to the 3,000-meter steeplechase, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new mondo track surface at Finnie Stadium. The surface is just one of five like it in the world and is the same type of surface used at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Several former BW track and field standouts were present for the ceremony, including four-time Olympic gold medal champion Harrison Dillard '49, who served as the official ribbon cutter.
Highlighting the day for the men was junior decathlete Steve Price (North Olmsted) who recorded two first place finishes and came in third in another event. Price won the long jump (22 feet, three inches) and the javelin throw (175 feet, six inches), and tied for third place in the pole vault with a leap of 12 feet, 7.50 inches. Junior Brandon Fast (Ashland) followed Price in the javelin throw with a toss of 156 feet, four inches, good for second place. Sophomore thrower Kevin Phipps (Reynoldsburg/ Watkins Memorial) and junior thrower Greg Patrick (Collins/ Western Reserve) placed second and third in both the discus and hammer throws. Phipps recorded marks of 152 feet, one inch in the discus and 169 feet, six inches in the hammer throw, while Patricktallied 151 feet, four inches, in the discus and 160 feet, four inches in the hammer. Patrick also finished second in the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 11.25 inches. Sophomore jumper Zach Poole (Mentor) jumped six feet, 1.50 inches in the high jump to place third.
The Yellow Jackets return to action next Friday and Saturday, April 24 & 25, at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Meet at Wilmington in Wilmington, Ohio.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact BW Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Bill Taraschke, please call him at 440-826-3322 or e-mail him at wtarasch@bw.edu. You can get all of the latest BW athletics information by visiting our Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.
