Friday, January 19
Nashville, Tenn.
All Day
Tulane University
at
Vanderbilt Invitational
Markel Shines in Pole Vault, Rotich Claims Title in Track & Field's Final Day at Vandy Invite
Jan 20, 2018 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field
Results
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Junior Rebekah Markel set a new personal record in the women's pole vault and junior Emmanuel Rotich won the men's 3000m run to cap off Tulane track & field's successful weekend at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville. The Green Wave followed up their strong Day One performance with numerous Top 10 finishes and more personal records.
"I'm proud of the way the team has handled this past week's disruption of routine and training because of the weather and the school closure," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Eric Peterson said. "I think it had an impact on the way that we performed this weekend. What we came into the meet hoping for was to build on what we had done at LSU, and really what this weekend ended up being was more of an opportunity to train, which we missed all this past week. We needed the work, we needed the chance to give everybody an opportunity to compete and get out of this very unexpected week of bad weather."
A few weeks after she started her year with a new indoor personal record in the pole vault, Markel reset her personal best in Day Two of the Vandy Invite, notching 4.07m (13-04.25) to place sixth. The junior had posted a mark of 4.05m (13-03.50) at the LSU Purple Tiger Invitational, which had topped her previous personal best of 4.00m (13-01.50), which she set earlier this season at the BSC Panther Icebreaker in Birmingham, Ala.
"Really high credit to Rebekah for not only setting a new personal best, but the way she had to work to do it," Peterson said. "The last three bars that she cleared, she went to her final attempt. It's been a long time since I've seen an athlete in our program in the pole vault work as hard as she did to grind through the competition, and she was only beaten by two collegiate athletes."
Rotich ran the indoor 3000m run for the first time in his career and delivered a race-winning time of 8:03.17. The mark is his overall personal best, topping his outdoor 3000m run of 8:21.03, which he had set at the Tulane Early Bird Twilight Track and Field Invitational in 2017.
"Emmanuel not only won the 3000m, but probably has a Top 5, Top 10 time in the nation right now in that event," Peterson said. "That's something big for him."
The Green Wave shined in the women's 60m hurdles, qualifying two sprinters - junior Jessica Duckett and sophomore Brandi Hughes - for the finals. Hughes and Duckett posted times of 8.76 and 8.84, respectively, in the prelims to qualify for the finals. In the finals, Duckett earned a fourth-place finish with her time of 8.63, while Hughes finished sixth in 8.68.
Freshman Bridgid Selfors finished 45th in the women's 3000m run, recording a time of 10:25.72 to set a new personal record. The time tops her previous best of 10:36.59, which she set earlier this season at LSU Purple Tiger.
Sophomore Sarah Cella's time of 5:03.79 in the women's one mile run topped her previous best of 5:16.01, which she set at LSU Purple Tiger. Melius recorded a time of 5:10.59, beating her old top mark of 5:10.95 (The American Championships, 2016).
Up Next
Start spreading the news, Tulane is heading to New York. The Green Wave will next compete in the Dr. Sander Invitational Friday, Jan. 26 at The Armory Track & Field Center in New York City.
Follow Tulane track & field on Twitter and Facebook for updates and news. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and @TulaneAthletics on Snapchat.
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Women's 60m Run - Prelims
32) Loyd - 7.79
50) Wember - 8.15
Women's 400m Run - Finals
14) Harewood - 56.17
DNS - Ness-Lanckriet
Women's 800m Run - Finals
DNS - Fatland
Women 1 Mile Run - Finals
22) Cella - 5:03.79
35) Melius - 5:10.59
Women 3000m Run - Finals
26) Bartels - 10:05.64
32) Newton - 10:09.30
45) Selfors - 10:25.72
Women's 60m Hurdles - Prelim
5) Hughes - 8.76
7) Duckett - 8.84
22) Helm - 9.30
DQ - Loyd
Women's 60m Hurdles - Finals
4) Duckett - 8.63
6) Hughes - 8.68
Women's Pole Vault - Finals
6) Markel - 4.07m (13-04.25)
18) Leggas - 3.72m (12-02.50)
NH - Brutkiewicz
Men's 400m Run - Finals
11) Kibet - 48.06
Men's 3000m Run - Finals
1) Rotich - 8:03.17
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Junior Rebekah Markel set a new personal record in the women's pole vault and junior Emmanuel Rotich won the men's 3000m run to cap off Tulane track & field's successful weekend at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville. The Green Wave followed up their strong Day One performance with numerous Top 10 finishes and more personal records.
"I'm proud of the way the team has handled this past week's disruption of routine and training because of the weather and the school closure," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Eric Peterson said. "I think it had an impact on the way that we performed this weekend. What we came into the meet hoping for was to build on what we had done at LSU, and really what this weekend ended up being was more of an opportunity to train, which we missed all this past week. We needed the work, we needed the chance to give everybody an opportunity to compete and get out of this very unexpected week of bad weather."
A few weeks after she started her year with a new indoor personal record in the pole vault, Markel reset her personal best in Day Two of the Vandy Invite, notching 4.07m (13-04.25) to place sixth. The junior had posted a mark of 4.05m (13-03.50) at the LSU Purple Tiger Invitational, which had topped her previous personal best of 4.00m (13-01.50), which she set earlier this season at the BSC Panther Icebreaker in Birmingham, Ala.
"Really high credit to Rebekah for not only setting a new personal best, but the way she had to work to do it," Peterson said. "The last three bars that she cleared, she went to her final attempt. It's been a long time since I've seen an athlete in our program in the pole vault work as hard as she did to grind through the competition, and she was only beaten by two collegiate athletes."
Rotich ran the indoor 3000m run for the first time in his career and delivered a race-winning time of 8:03.17. The mark is his overall personal best, topping his outdoor 3000m run of 8:21.03, which he had set at the Tulane Early Bird Twilight Track and Field Invitational in 2017.
"Emmanuel not only won the 3000m, but probably has a Top 5, Top 10 time in the nation right now in that event," Peterson said. "That's something big for him."
The Green Wave shined in the women's 60m hurdles, qualifying two sprinters - junior Jessica Duckett and sophomore Brandi Hughes - for the finals. Hughes and Duckett posted times of 8.76 and 8.84, respectively, in the prelims to qualify for the finals. In the finals, Duckett earned a fourth-place finish with her time of 8.63, while Hughes finished sixth in 8.68.
Freshman Bridgid Selfors finished 45th in the women's 3000m run, recording a time of 10:25.72 to set a new personal record. The time tops her previous best of 10:36.59, which she set earlier this season at LSU Purple Tiger.
Sophomore Sarah Cella's time of 5:03.79 in the women's one mile run topped her previous best of 5:16.01, which she set at LSU Purple Tiger. Melius recorded a time of 5:10.59, beating her old top mark of 5:10.95 (The American Championships, 2016).
Up Next
Start spreading the news, Tulane is heading to New York. The Green Wave will next compete in the Dr. Sander Invitational Friday, Jan. 26 at The Armory Track & Field Center in New York City.
Follow Tulane track & field on Twitter and Facebook for updates and news. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and @TulaneAthletics on Snapchat.
-----
Women's 60m Run - Prelims
32) Loyd - 7.79
50) Wember - 8.15
Women's 400m Run - Finals
14) Harewood - 56.17
DNS - Ness-Lanckriet
Women's 800m Run - Finals
DNS - Fatland
Women 1 Mile Run - Finals
22) Cella - 5:03.79
35) Melius - 5:10.59
Women 3000m Run - Finals
26) Bartels - 10:05.64
32) Newton - 10:09.30
45) Selfors - 10:25.72
Women's 60m Hurdles - Prelim
5) Hughes - 8.76
7) Duckett - 8.84
22) Helm - 9.30
DQ - Loyd
Women's 60m Hurdles - Finals
4) Duckett - 8.63
6) Hughes - 8.68
Women's Pole Vault - Finals
6) Markel - 4.07m (13-04.25)
18) Leggas - 3.72m (12-02.50)
NH - Brutkiewicz
Men's 400m Run - Finals
11) Kibet - 48.06
Men's 3000m Run - Finals
1) Rotich - 8:03.17
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Distance
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