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Jamie Norton anchored the NCAA qualifying distance medley relay
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MEDFORD - The Jumbo distance medley relay (DMR) team took advantage of fast competition to notch the third-fastest time in the nation this year and qualify for next week's NCAA Championship on Saturday.
Running at home in the Last Chance meet, the un-scored event served as the final opportunity to hit qualifying marks, so the sense of urgency was certainly high in the Gantcher Center on Saturday.
The DMR started off the day in fine fashion. Senior Jeff Marvel (Naples, FL) notched an impressive first leg and handed off to junior Graham Beutler (Weston, CT) near the front of the pack. Beutler and freshman Mitch Black (Brunswick, ME) turned in solid legs before anchor Jamie Norton (Groton, MA) clinched a qualifying spot for the Jumbos with a time of 4:12 over the last 1,600 meters.
Geneseo State won the event in a time of 9:56.22, which is the number-one time in the nation this season. Bates and Tufts tied for second with a time of 9:58.30. That mark puts the Jumbos and Bobcats in a tie for third nationally.
The 4x400 relay team closed the meet with a solid performance. The quartet of Beutler, Black, senior Vinnie Lee (Walpole, MA), and freshman Alex Kasemir (Highland Park, IL) recorded a time of 3:20.82 to place second. That time ranks 19th nationally so the Jumbos will not be one of the ten teams to qualify for NCAA's.
Tufts recorded solid performances in individual running events as well. In the 5,000, senior Matt Rand (Cape Elizabeth, ME) placed third in a time of 14:53.10. He was closely followed by junior Ben Wallis (Dover, NH) who clocked a 14:55.46 to finish fourth. Senior Tyler Andrews (Concord, MA) also broke the 15-minute barrier with a time of 14:58.76, good enough for ninth.
In the field, senior tri-captain Curtis Yancy (St. Louis, MO) took third in the weight throw with his toss of 56'6 ¾" (17.24m). His best mark of the season ranks seventh nationally, so he will compete at NCAA's next weekend.
Yancy will be joined by senior Gbola Ajayi (Lagos, Nigeria) who qualified in the triple jump at the ECAC Championship on Friday. The DMR, Black (800), and senior Mike Blair (Wellesley, MA) (Heptathlon) will also make the trip to North Central College in Naperville, IL to represent Tufts at the NCAA Championship next Friday and Saturday.
Meet results
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