FINAL RESULTS
MANKATO, Minn, - Augustana rang in the new year by crowning five individual champions and two relay champions in the first indoor track and field event of 2013. Four women brought home titles at the Minnesota State Alumni Open on Saturday.
Runa Falch stole the show for the Vikings by winning the one mile run in 5:02.07, an amazing 26.05 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. This is Falch's second title in the young 2012-13 indoor track and field season.
Winning by nearly 4.5 seconds in the 800-meter run, Kayla Mescher brought home an individual championship of her own with a time of 2:25.51. Kristin Brondbo came out victorious in the 1,000-meter run, finishing in 2:59.92 and was followed by Emma Anderson in third at 3:06.98.
The next two individual victories proved to be dominant Augustana performances with the top two finishers being Vikings. Justin Cook blew away the competition in the 1,000-meter run at 2:38.95 and Jake Connealy finished in second with a time of 2:47.95.
It was a family affair in the women's 200-meter dash as Karmen Nyberg finished first in 26.26 seconds and was followed by her twin sister Kirsten Nyberg at 26.6 seconds.
The men's and women's 4x400 meter relay teams took first and third in their respective races. The men's “A” team won in 3:31.61 while the men's “B” team finished third, clocking a 3:37.96. The women's “A” team won with a time of 4:09.02 and the “B” team crossed the finish line in 4:15.01.
Once again Katie Guse was denied a title by an unattached jumper in the high jump. Guse's top leap was 1.66 meters putting her in second and Kelsey Kaufmann took third clearing 1.63 meters in her first collegiate track and field meet.
Kaylynn Erlandsontook home a pair of runner-up finishes in the long jump and triple jump. Erlandson hit 5.01 meters in the long jump and landed at 10.87 meters in the triple jump. Zach Feil also finished runner-up in the triple jump with a distance of 12.12 meters.
John Klecker, Jessika Wager, and Matt Winder closed out the Viking second-place finishes with Klecker clocking a 4:27.77 in the one-mile run, Wager finishing the 800-meter run in 2:25.51, and Winder in the 400-meter dash at 52.63. Zach Jones finished one slot behind Winder with a time of 52.89.
In the 600-meter run, Khor Kong took home a third place finish, crossing the line in 1:25.58. Hollie Bloom placed third in the pole vault registering a best of 3.12 meters.
The Vikings return to action on Jan. 19 at the Jack Johnson Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.
