CMU Tabs 12 Event Wins at Chippewa Challenge

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

4/13/2024 7:54:00 PM | Track & Field

Sabourin moves into CMU Top-10 Record Book in 400H

By: Katherine Schultz

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — A great turnout for Central Michigan's Chippewa Challenge, and incredible weather to go with it.

CMU Track and Field hosted its first meet on the newly renovated Lyle Bennett Outdoor Track, the first outdoor outing in over a decade, on Saturday.

The Chippewas collected 12 event wins on the day between both the track and field events.

"It was super fun to be at home," said Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Jenny Swieton. "It was great to have so many more people here watching that our student-athletes know.

"I think (being at home) allows us to take some risks in events and try new things in a more comfortable environment, which is really cool, too. We had student-athletes compete in events which are outside their norm, which I think is fun to do at home, because you're with your teammates, but this is also home and it doesn't seem so scary."

In the field events, Emily McLean, Emily Yoshino and Sarah Daniel tabbed wins.

McLean won the shot put with a mark of 13.09m. Yoshino claimed a victory in the pole vault with a height of 3.35m, and Daniel won the long jump with a 5.73m leap.

Claire Kavanagh, Victoria Merrick, Ereka Risner and Grace Hill all attained personal bests in field events; Kavanagh and Merrick in discus, Hill and Risner in hammer throw.

Daniel was also the anchor in the Chippewas' event-winning 4x100 relay, with teammates Kaitlynn Rush, Payton Sabourin and Peyton Korytkowski.

All three CMU runners collected additional wins; Rush in the 100m and 200m, Korytkowski in the 100 hurdles and Sabourin in the 400 hurdles.

Sabourin's win in the 400 hurdles, though not a personal best –which she attained in a previous season at Oakland--, put her 10^th in the CMU outdoor record book with a time of 1:01.15.

Emma Fountain tabbed the win in the 400m, where the podium also comprised of Nicole Olivieri and Robyn Watts.

All-CMU podiums were also a trend in the 1500m and 800. The top three finishers in the 1500m comprised of Jelena Prescott, Chesney Wilke and Jessie Gibbins. Wilke and Gibbins both ran personal bests.

Natalie Newcombe won the 800m, with Wilke and Ericka Bigham quickly behind.

Lauren Hasty and Ava Pergitone each ran personal bests in the 3000m, where they finished 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

Anya Turner ran her first 3000 meter steeplechase of the season, where she finished 2^nd in 10:32.09. She was succeeded by Emily Paupore, who ran unattached. Turner also ran the 200m for the first time, finishing in 27.89.

The Chippewas closed the day with the 4x400 relay, fielding two teams in the Maroon and Gold. The squad of Bigham, Libby Munderloh, Jaci Rife and Jolie Fisher picked up the victory, while the team of Newcombe, Gibbins, Kate Jenkins and Emma Janesak finished 3^rd.

"In some ways, today we learned that it's not that serious," Swieton said. "It sounds awful to say, but this is track and field and you can make mistakes, you can have hiccups, you can go out too fast or too slow and life still goes on and everybody still loves you.

"Why be afraid to take risks with an event on the idea that it doesn't go the way you want it? It's fun to help the student-athletes realize that, because then it takes the pressure off when competing and it allows them to reach the next level."

CMU is scheduled to take on another dual-meet weekend on April 19 and 20, when the Chippewas will head to the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State University and the Virginia Challenge at University of Virginia.

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