<rleton exorcised the demons from the 2007 Carleton Relays, where they finished 13th place, by finishing fourth in last Saturday’s Carleton Relays. With their fourth place showing, Coach Rick’s team made a statement in the MIAC by defeating conference foes Bethel and St. Olaf.
The Knights were lead by junior Tom Ballinger and their relay teams. In the 400-meter hurdles, Ballinger, after a slow start, stormed to victory with an impressive finishing kick, which earned him a NCAA provisional time of 53.67. Ballinger also finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles. For his efforts at the Carleton Relays, Tom Ballinger was rewarded with MIAC Athlete of the Week honors.
In addition to Ballinger’s strong performances, Carleton’s relay teams were instrumental in the Knights’ success. In the 4x400m relay competition, Jack Delahanty ’09, Nick Cesarek ’09, Michael Sanders ’10, and Ballinger raced to victory in a field that included Division I and Division II teams. In addition, Carleton’s 4x100m relay team, which includes juniors Ballinger, Kane Bechstein, Cesarek, and Drew Ziller, scored valuable points for the Knights by finishing second.
Moreover, the Knights’ day at the Carleton Relays was filled with personal records. Christopher Gamble ’10 recorded a personal best in the 1500m and nearly broke the 4-minute barrier with a time of 4.00.62. In addition to Gamble, Sanders achieved personal records in the 200m and 400m, while Jack Delahanty established a personal best in the 800m with a time of 1.55.48. An outstanding personal record was turned in by John Davis ’11 who finished third in the 10,000m, a race he ran for the first time in his collegiate career.
Yet, the Knights’ turnaround from last year would not have been accomplished without the contribution of rookies. Freshman Jameson Siegert scored in the triple jump (fourth), high jump (fifth), and long jump (eighth).
In his first college meet, fellow freshman Ty Martin scored unexpected points by finishing seventh in the long jump with a jump of 18-11. These performances were pivotal, since Carleton College’s margin of victory over St. Olaf was only five points.
Unfortunately for the Knights, they will have little time to revel in their success at the Carleton Relays. Coach Ricks’ team will be competing in twelve meets in a month’s time, which will include the competitive Drake Relays and the MIAC Outdoor Championships.