A first-place finish in the men's 4x800 meter relay and a 6-11 1/2 mark in the high jump by Gergely Bata, good for second place, highlighted the Illinois State track and field teams on the final day of competition at the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The relay team of Dan Tripp, Bronco Meeks, Miklos Konkoly and Jeremy Doherty crossed the line in 7:38.30 to take home top honors in the 4x800 relay. In other relay action Sunday, the women's distance medley team consisting of Diana Ainsley, Lauren Ritt, Cherise Devers and Kelli Schulte finished third (11:55.50) while the men's distance medley was fourth (10:11.84).
In the 4x400 relays, Devers, Lindsey Arnold, Andrea Black and Andrea Mosher comprised the fifth-place team of Redbirds who ran the track in 3:50.81. Walker Eye, Allan Kipchoge, John Shaffer and Michael Estlund were the team of four that placed fifth in the 4x1500 relay.
In the field events for the day, Pierre Woods, who finished third in the 400 meter hurdles on Saturday, placed fifth in the high jump while Rhett Hillard was second in the shot put and 20th in the discus throw. Mark Jackson tossed the shot put 45-7 3/4, placing 15th, while Chivas Hemphill placed sixth in the triple jump.
Both the men's and women's teams from Alabama claimed first place in the Alabama Relays while the Illinois State men tied for eighth and the women finished tied for 13th.
The Redbirds continue its 2003 outdoor season next weekend, March 29, at the Saluki Spring Classic in Carbondale, Ill.
