MEDFORD - Sophomore Veer Bhalla (West Windsor, NJ) ran the fifth fastest 800 meter time in the nation to qualify for NCAAs in the un-scored Last Chance Meet at the Gantcher Center on Thursday.
Bhalla's mark of 1:52.86 on Tufts' flat track will be converted down to 1:51.27, which is more than enough to secure the sophomore a trip to his first NCAA Championship. Only Keene State senior Ryan Widzgowski bested Bhalla on Thursday.
Senior Jamie Norton (Groton, MA), who is already qualified for NCAAs in the mile, took fifth in the 800 with a time of 1:55.53. Classmate Graham Beutler (Weston, CT) was unable to hit an NCAA-qualifying mark in the 200 on Thursday, as he clocked a 22.37 to place third. He'll compete in the 400 next week at NCAAs.
In the sprints, sophomore Bryson Hoover Hankerson (Owings Mills, MD) notched a personal-best time of 7.22 in the 60 meter dash. Freshman Henry Zhou (Yifeng, China) led a strong Tufts contingent in the 60 meter hurdles, as he placed fourth in a time of 9.07.
Junior Brian Williamson (Prairie Village, KS) and sophomore Atticus Swett (Bow, NH) were once again productive in the shot put for the Jumbos. Williamson's distance of 51' 9" (15.77m) was good enough for second, while Swett took fourth with a heave of 50' 3 ½" (15.33m).
Bhalla, Norton, Beutler, sophomore Mitchell Black (Brunswick, ME) and the 4x400 meter relay squad will now set their sites on the NCAA Championship in Lincoln, Nebraska. Other members of coach Ethan Barron's team will compete in the ECAC Championship at the Reggie Lewis Center and the IC4A Championship at Boston University this weekend.
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