It was a day of personal and conference bests for the Clan at the indoor track and field season-opener last Saturday at the University of Washington Indoor Preview.
Against competition from both NCAA Div. I and II, senior star Sarah Sawatzky led the way for the Clan establishing a Div. II-leading time in the 800m race, at 2:09.42. It was a precedent her teammates would match.
Her sixth-overall finish also earned her Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Red Lion Track Athlete of the Week honours.
Sawatzky’s fellow senior, Kirsten Allen, would lead the GNAC racers in the mile while setting a personal best with a time of 5:03.97. Meanwhile, sophomore Emma Chadsey dropped 28 seconds off her previous time in the 3000m and finished in 10:17.24 — times that would qualify both athletes for the GNAC meet later in the season.
On the field, junior Robyn Broomfield led the GNAC in the triple jump with a 11.18m leap, while freshman teammate Ella Brown, making her Clan debut, finished second with a 11.13m jump.
It was another freshman who led the way for the men’s side. Oliver Jorgensen ran the 3000m in 8:32.84, while senior James Young wasn’t far behind finishing in 8:36.58. Both will race for the Clan in the conference meet.
Long jumper Jerry He led the Clan on the field with a 6.60m jump, good for third in the GNAC, and good enough to qualify him for the conference meet as well.
The Clan aren’t back in action until January 31 at the University of Washington Invitational, but their impressive start to the season — full of signs of improvement already — bodes well for the rest of the young season.
