GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Competing in the first of two season-ending events this week, the Rocky Mountain College track & field team added another national qualifier during the University of Providence Frontier Conference Open at Memorial Stadium on Thursday.
In the first race of the day, Eddie Loughran finished second in the half marathon with a time of one hour, 14 minutes, and 53 seconds to hit the NAIA “B” standard by seven seconds. That qualifies Loughran for the marathon at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships later this month in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Rocky also set a pair of school records on the men’s side at the event. Brenden Leaming finished the 200 Meter Dash in 22.15 seconds to win the race and break his ole school record by .04 seconds. Leaming now holds the seven fastest times in the event in Rocky history.
Competing in the long jump for just the second event this season, Jimmy Henderson leaped 6.18 meters – 20-feet-3.5 – to establish a new school best. Henderson cleared his previous best jump by over a foot.
Other top finishes for the men included a second-place result for Leaming in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 11.17 seconds. Jackson Duffey won the 5,000 meters in 15:31.92.
The Rocky women secured four top-two finishes, including Kaitlyn Gordon hitting 35.48 meters – 116-feet-5 – in the Javelin to place second. The third longest throw in school history gives Gordon the nine best marks in the event in school history.
Corinne Hamilton finished the 1,500 Meters in 2:48.45 to earn a second-place finish. The time is a personal best for Hamilton and the fastest by a Battlin’ Bears runner in the event this season.
Courtney Hallock placed second in the 5,000 Meters after completing the race in 19:46.39. Bailey Bard hit a distance of 4.84 meters – 15-feet-10.5 – to place second in the long jump. The distance was .04 meters shy of her school record set earlier this month.
The Battlin’ Bears will close out the regular season on Sunday at the Colorado School of Mines Last Chance in Golden, Colorado. That is Rocky’s last chance to add to the three that have already qualified for the national meet.
