FARGO, N.D. (VCSUVikings.com) – Dylan Olson won the 3,000 meter race and both Allyssa Weitkum and Menkeh Mendin set schools records Saturday as the Viking track and field team competed at the NDSU Thundering Herd Classic.
It was VCSU’s second meet of the indoor season, and the first meet for the Vikings since early December.
Viking senior Dylan Olson showed no signs of rust as he raced past a field of 11 runners to win the 3,000 meter title. Olson crossed the finish line in a personal-best time of 8:49.85 and was just 5.85 seconds away from meeting the national qualifying time of 8:44. Olson smashed his previous career-best time by 18 seconds.
In the 1,000 meter race, Valley City State runners set two new school records. Allyssa Weitkum finished the women’s race in a new school record time of 3:13.60. She placed seventh at the meet, but beat the VCSU school record by almost nine seconds. (Becky Olson, 1999, 3:22.23). Weitkum, who is in her second season competing at VCSU, now has five individual school records to her name.
In the men’s 1,000 meter race, Menkeh Mendin set a new school record and was just .28 seconds away from qualifying for the NAIA National Meet. Mendin raced to an eighth-place finish Saturday with his time of 2:34.08. That narrowly missed the national qualifying standard of 2:33.80. Mendin broke the old school record of 2:34.84 set by teammate Orin Rambow last season.
Outside of Olson’s victory in the 3,000, the Vikings also had a trio of Top 5 finishes at the meet, which featured mainly NCAA Division I and Division II schools.
Dennis Gonzalez placed fourth in the 3,000 meters (9:19.74) and Louis Leon finished fifth in the same race (9:37.68). In the men’s high jump, Alex Otto placed fourth after clearing 1.94 meters (6 feet, 4.25 inches) and narrowly missing his attempts at the national qualifying height of 1.99 meters.
Valley City State had three Top 10 finishes against strong competition in the weight throw events. Marilyn Quintero placed ninth in the women’s weight throw with a mark of 14.12 meters (46-4). In the men’s weight throw, five different Vikings set personal records on Saturday and two had Top 10 finishes. Garret Roemmich placed ninth with a personal best mark of 14.70 meters (48-2.75) and Zachary Co had a personal-best throw of 14.54 meters (47-8.50) as he placed 10th.
Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to send athletes to two meets this weekend, including the SDSU DII Invitational on Friday and the Concordia Cobber Invitational on Saturday.
NDSU Thundering Herd Classic
VCSU Top 10 Finishes
Women
400 Meters
8. Madi Brown, 1:04.88
1000 Meters
7. Allyssa Weitkum, 3:13.60 (School record)
Weight Throw
9. Marilyn Quintero, 14.12 meters (46-4)
Men
1000 Meters
8. Menkeh Mendin, 2:34.08 (School record)
3000 Meters
1. Dylan Olson, 8:49.85
4. Dennis Gonzalez, 9:19.74
5. Louis Leon, 9:37.68
9. Zachary Nelson, 10:21.83
4×400 Relay
9. Valley City State University, 3:38.86 (Mendin, Stueve, Mattheis, Leon)
Weight Throw
9. Garret Roemmich, 14.70 meters (48-2.75)
10. Zachary Co, 14.54 meters (47-8.5)
High Jump
4. Alex Otto, 1.94 meters (6-4.25)