For the first time this decade, Ohio will host three track and field meets in the same season. The first of which, the annual Cherry Blossom Invitational, wrapped up Friday evening with a slew of Bobcats running personal best times and being awarded high placements.
A steady downpour of rain throughout the more than six-hour event led to some slower times and poor conditions on the track. Nonetheless, the meet was able to wrap up without a significant delay due to the weather.
Highlighting the meet's results was sophomore Ellie Greenwell, who won the women’s 800-meter with a time of 2:09.4, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Several other Bobcats competed in the women’s 800, including a fourth-place finish by junior Sarah Doughman and a seventh-place finish by junior Sophie Besett.
True freshman Ava Kincaid was another of Ohio’s most successful runners at the meet, qualifying for the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.11 and winning the 400-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 1:03.4.
A handful of Bobcats competed in the women’s 1500-meter, with four runners finishing in the top 10. Junior Allie Martin led Ohio with a personal best time of 4:31.32, good enough for second place in the event. Following Martin was a third-place finish by freshman Kaitlyn Stewart, who also recorded a PR in the 1500. Junior Alyssa Mason and freshman Mairin O’Brien placed fifth and seventh, respectively.
On the sprinting side, veteran runner Taja Booker placed third in the women’s 400-meter with a time of 56.78. Two spots behind Booker was sophomore Jada Irwin, with a personal best time of 57.98.
In the field, senior Millie Ryan placed eighth in the women’s shot put with a throw of 11.86 meters. Senior Jasmine Correa was right behind Ryan with a throw of 11.80 meters.
Freshman Elizabeth Franczyk placed second in the women’s triple jump with a score of 10.54 meters, followed by fellow freshman Kami Ayoup, who placed fourth in the women’s long jump with a score of 5.15 meters.
Ohio will host the OU Last Chance meet May 9 before hosting the Mid-American Conference Championships at Goldsberry Track May 15 to close the season.
