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| Luke O'Connor ran the fourth-fastest steeplechase in DIII this season |
PRINCETON, NJ - Running in his first 800 meters race of the outdoor season at Princeton's Larry Ellis Invitational on Friday, senior Mitchell Black of the Tufts men's track & field team posted a 1:48.60 time that is the fastest in Division III this season and the ninth-best Division III time ever in the event.
Black's effort led three Jumbos who posted national top 15 times for DIII in New Jersey on Friday. Junior Luke O'Connor ran the fourth-fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:12.08) and senior Veer Bhalla recorded the #15 time in the 800 (1:52.64).
The 1:48.60 800 broke Black's own school record of 1:49.83 set last season. Today's time is the best in Division III by over two seconds as of Friday night. Zach Frey from Loras had the top 800 entering the weekend with a 1:50.89 mark. Black was seventh out of 77 competitors in the race. He was one of just three collegians in the top 10. The race was won by Jesse Garn from Binghamton in 1:47.11.
Bhalla won his section in the 800 with the 1:52.64 time that was 38th overall. He improved upon his previoius season-best of 1:54.31 from Princeton's Sam Howell meet back on April 8.
O'Connor, competing in his first steeplechase of the outdoor season, was 13th overall out of 46 in the race.
Tim Nichols also raced for the Jumbos on Friday at the Ellis Invitational in the 5,000 meters and posted a 15:02.78 time.
The rest of the Tufts team will be in action on Saturday at home as the Jumbos host the Sunshine Classic at Dussault Track.
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