By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
EUGENE, Ore. -- Three Willamette University track and field athletes -- Hannah Swanson (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), Hans Lehndorff (Sr., Boulder, CO/Boulder HS), and Patrick Loftus (So., Santa Rosa, CA/Sonoma Academy), -- competed in the Oregon Twilight on Friday, May 6 at Hayward Field. All three earned solid results.
Swanson finished seventh in the women's 1,500-meter run. She was timed at 4:36.58 after spending much of the race in a pack with all of the runners except Haley O'Connor of Club Northwest, who went out to a sizable lead. O'Connor was unable to maintain her pace and was eventually passed by three runners.
Molly Grabill from the University of Oregon won the women's 1,500 in 4:26.85. Kristiane Width of Oregon State University was second in 4:29.33, and OSU teammate Emily Weber slipped past O'Connor in 4:30.04.
Lehndorff competed for WU in the mens' discus throw and the men's shot put. In the discus, he registered a top toss of 156' 11" and took seventh place. He was just over one foot from his career-best of 158' 2", set at the NWC Championships on April 23.
In the shot put. Lehndorff earned a top distance of 50' 1.75". He placed ninth in the event. It was Lehndorff's second competitive throw to clear 50 feet. He set his personal record with a throw of 52' 2.25" at the NWC Championships.
Loftus ran in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. He recorded a time of 9:31.56 while taking 11th place. Isaac Updike of Team Run Eugene won the event with a strong race in 8:43.91.
Lehndorff will be in action again on Saturday (May 7), when he will participate in the discus throw at the Linfield Open in McMinnville, Oregon.
The Bearcats are set to host the West Coast Invitational on Thursday, May 12. Field events will begin at 4 p.m. (PDT), with events on the track starting at 5 p.m.