Michigan
Len Paddock Invitational (Day 1)
Waits Paces Wolverines on First Day of Paddock Invite
5/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team kicked off the first day of the Len Paddock Invitational with four career-best performances Friday (May 9) at Ferry Field. Michigan also took two of the top three spots in two events.
U-M had the most success in the 400-meter hurdles, taking first and third place. Sophomore Seth Waits (Grand Rapids, Ohio/Otsego HS) won the event for the Wolverines with a career-best time of 52.88. Waits' mark is the Maize and Blue's fastest time in the event this season and was just 0.18 off of NCAA Regional qualification. With his third-place time of 53.56, junior David Battani (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) also posted a career best.
Michigan was a prominent squad in both the invitational and open flights of the 1,500-meter run. Senior Alex L'Heureux (Weedon, Quebec/Palm Beach Gardens HS, Fla.) finished second in the invitational run with a time of 3:50.50. Sophomores Sean Moore (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) and Tarn Leach (East Jordan, Mich./East Jordan HS) placed second and third, respectively, in the open flight with times of 3:54.89 and 3:55.71.
Sophomore Joey Sarantos (Portage, Mich./Northern HS) had a strong performance in the shot put with a U-M season-best mark of 52-7 1/2 in the event. Classmate Nick Vander Ploeg (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern HS) had a career best in the discus with a throw of 164-9, needing just three more inches to have the first NCAA qualifying result of his career.
The Wolverines will be in action Saturday (May 10) with the second and final day of competition at the Len Paddock Invitational. Field events are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Ferry Field, with the day's activity on the track slated to start at 1 p.m.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
