Duke's track and field team experienced disappointment mixed in with success at this weekend's Duke Invitational.
Senior Debra Vento fell just short of becoming the first student-athlete to win four Invite titles. The senior tied Kristina Bolterstein of Miami (Ohio) with a high jump of 5-foot-8.75. Vento, however, took more tries, which allowed Bolterstein to claim the title. The mark was good enough to qualify Vento for the NCAA Eastern Regionals for the third week in a row.
Junior Lara Jones won Duke's first title of the meet Friday with a personal-best performance in the pole vault. Her mark of 12-11.50 also qualified her for the NCAA eastern regionals.
Junior Daina Pucurs followed Vento's footsteps into the Invite record books with her winning performance in the javelin. Her 162-00 throw continued her undefeated streak in Invite competition. Pucurs is only the fourth student-athlete in Duke Invite history to earn three titles and has a chance to become the first student-athlete to win four. Only former Duke student and Olympian Jillian Schwartz has racked up four Invite wins.
Sophomore Michelle Seibart continued her success in the 800-meters from last weekend's UNC Invitational with another win. Her time of time of 2:10.88 Saturday qualified her for the ECACs for the second week in a row and was the track squad's lone title.
Senior Kelly Reynolds was unable to defend her title in the hammer throw but still threw and ECAC qualifying mark of 175-08.
In one of the most anticipated races for Duke, senior Keith Krieger turned in a solid, IC4A-qualifying time of 14:17.77 in the 5000-meter race. Krieger and junior Chris Spooner ran the majority of the race together, but Spooner was forced to drop out two miles into the race.
Krieger's time was a personal best and is within five seconds of qualifying for the NCAA eastern regionals.
Several Duke athletes qualified for the postseason for the first time over the weekend. Freshman Michael Schallmo placed third in the discus with a throw of 154-08 which qualified for the IC4As and placed him fifth on Duke's all-time list. Sophomore Kevin McDermott qualified for the IC4As with his time of 9:15.91 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Junior Jade Ellis made a triumphant return to the Invite after tearing his Achilles in the same event last year. Ellis, who won the long jump title as a freshman and was one of the best jumpers in the ACC, placed fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 47-01.00.
"We breathed a sigh of relief after he jumped," head coach Norm Ogilvie said. "In a few more meets he should be back to old form."
Junior Peter Lewellen finished fifth in the 400-meters followed by senior Dan King. Lewellen's time of 48.35 seconds was the fifth fastest in Duke history. King finished just behind Lewellen with a time of 48.41.
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