The women decisively won the Princeton Quad Meet at Jadwin Gymnasium on Friday against Rutgers, St. Joseph’s and St. John’s. Princeton won 12 events, giving them 209 points, good for first place in the competition. St. John’s came in second with 139 points.
The men’s team achieved success similar to the women’s team when they traveled to Annapolis to face the Naval Academy on Saturday. At the Brown Field House, the Tigers won 13 of the 17 events and were able to defeat the Midshipmen 102.5-74.5.
The women’s team was happy to have the many fall cross-country runners rested and ready for the spring track season, including freshman Kristin Smoot, who participated in one of the more exciting races of the meet. In the 1000m, she led the pack of runners for most of the race but was passed in the last lap by Kristin Andrews from St. Joseph’s. Smoot dug deep and pulled back into first on the last turn, winning the race with a time of two minutes, 55.02 seconds, just .41 seconds ahead of her opponent.
The meet also marked the debut for all three freshman sprinters coming back from injuries sustained in early November. Jasmine Blocker and Lily Miller ran the 200m, while Carrie Vuong ran the 500m.
Sophomore Mel Newbery, who is also a staff writer for The Daily Princetonian, delivered one of the more dramatic wins of the meet with her performance in the one-mile run. Despite a sprained ankle and visible limping during her warm up routine, Newbery won the race in under five minutes, the only finisher to do so. Sophomore Alexis Mikaelian and freshman Clare Gallagher finished second and third.
Several of the women showed their speed and strength in Princeton’s win. Junior Eileen Moran won the 60 meters with a time of 7.63 seconds, close to her record of 7.57. Sophomore Abidemi Adenikinju, who fractured her femur last season, returned to form to win the 200m with a time of 25.77 seconds. Senior Thanithia Billings won the shot put with a season-best 14.98 meters and also triumphed in the weight throw competition.
In the pole vault, the Tigers showcased their young talent and took a clean sweep of the podium. Sophomore Tory Worthen cleared 3.76 meters for first, freshman Samantha Anderson took second at 3.66 meters and sophomore Lauren Tauscher rounded out the group with 3.46 meters. Worthen is also a staff writer for the ‘Prince.’
Freshman Imani Oliver placed second at the triple jump with a distance of 11.53 meters after winning the event at the season’s first meet.
“We did a great job as a team, especially since we are coming back from a long break and we’re in our exams period,” Oliver said. “I am comfortable with coming in second, but I always strive to win.”
Last year, the men’s team beat Navy by a slim margin, 98-83. This year, the Tigers earned a more decisive win and took 13 events.
Junior sprinter Austin Hollimon set a Brown Field House record last year in the 400m, finishing in 47.88 seconds, but was disqualified this year for a false start. Sophomore Russell Dinkins picked up where Hollimon left off and won the 400m with a time of 47.95, finishing more than two seconds before the closest competitor.
Dinkins was not the only runner to win decisively. Sophomore Peter Callahan took the 800m with a time of 1:51.43, finishing three seconds faster than the second-place racer.
“It’s always great competing at Navy, since they have an amazing facility and the team is such a class act,” senior hurdler Adam Thayer said. “We put up some good times and distances for this early in the season that we can build upon going forward.”
Junior Kashif Smith won the 60m with a time of 7.02 seconds, not far off his personal best of 6.88, and tied for first with sophomore Sebastian Steffen in the 200m. Junior Derek Hynes won the pole vault with a distance of 4.80 meters, the same distance he won with in December.
The Tigers will take a two-week break from competition and resume on Jan. 22 when they host the Princeton Relays.
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