Air Force Academy
Beach Invitational
Carina Gillespie Shatters 1500-Meter Record
4/21/2018 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
TORRANCE, Calif. – An Academy record from senior Carina Gillespie capped a busy day of action for the Air Force track and field team, as it continued competition in California on Friday (April 20). Gillespie, who shattered her own 1500-meter record at the Bryan Clay Invitational, was one of three Falcons to impact the program's all-time standings on Friday, as the squad took part in three separate competitions.
Gillespie deleted nearly three seconds off of her previous 1500-meter record this evening at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, as she crossed the finish line in a career-best time of 4:16.51. Gillespie, who also reset her own Senior Class Record during tonight's race under the lights at Azusa Pacific, finished seventh amongst collegiate runners – and 12th in an overall field of 293 runners.
SAC RELAYS
The men made two improvements to the Academy's all-time standings at the Mt SAC Relays this evening in Torrance, as junior Jacob Bilvado and senior Andrew Milliron accounted for top-five times in their respective events under the "Elite" spotlight of El Camino College. Bilvado clocked the fourth-fastest 5000-meter time in program history during a 13:51.74 performance (20th), while Milliron posted a personal-best time of 8:53.69 to move into fifth on the Academy's all-time standings for the steeplechase (12th).
Senior Chip White clocked a season-best time of 51.67 to finish fourth out of 27 runners in the 400-meter hurdles, while classmate Jamiel Trimble finished 15th out of 54 runners in the 100-meter dash (10.56).
In the only field event of the day at Mt SAC, junior Logan Feasline and senior Jackson Spalding both captured top-six finishes in the discus throw. Feasline recorded a distance of 172'0" to place fourth in the 21-thrower event, while Spalding added a career-best mark of 168'1" to finish sixth.
BRYAN CLAY INVITATIONAL
Gillespie was one of three Air Force females to finish within the top half of the 293-runner field in the 1500-meter run at the Bryan Clay Invitational, as freshman Mahala Norris finished 76th with a time of 4:29.08 and senior Giulianna Vessa placed 117th with a season-best time of 4:35.10.
On the men's side, junior Josh Wojciechowski clocked a career-best time of 3:50.43 to place within the top half of the 1500-meter event that featured 271 runners (118th). Freshman Scott Johnson, who won his section of the race, added a personal-best time of 3:51.89 to finish 141st.
BEACH INVITATIONAL
Freshman Hunter Boyer paced a small contingent of Air Force men earlier in the day at Long Beach State, as he won the Gold section of the 3000-meter steeplechase at the Beach Invitational. Clocking a time of 9:10.20, Boyer won the 10-runner event by six seconds and broke the program's 22-year-old Freshman Class Record by more than eight seconds.
Sophomore Chris Doerr posted a career-best clearance of 16'0¾" to finish third in the pole vault at that meet, while senior decathlete Calvin Berstler placed within the top half of the field after clearing a season-best height of 14'7¼" to tie for eighth. Senior Brooks Hardy finished 13th out of 33 competitors in the hammer throw (163'1"), while classmate Donny Crabill (17th, 198'11") and freshman Parker Spearman (19th, 192'5") placed within the top half of the 40-thrower javelin event.
The Falcons conclude action tomorrow (April 21), when they wrap up action at the Mt. SAC Relays and at the Beach Invitational. Air Force will open the day at 9:00 a.m., in Long Beach.
Players Mentioned
