Bobcats Post Two Top-Ten Finishes at USATF Outdoor Championships
7/10/2023 3:49:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
Trio of performances in the men's steeplechase highlight efforts from six Montana State track and field athletes competing at the U.S. Championships
EUGENE, Oregon – A pair of top-ten finishes highlighted strong performances from six current and former Montana State track and field athletes at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships this weekend at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Duncan Hamilton ('23), fresh off signing a professional contract with Nike's Bowerman Track Club before competition on Wednesday, placed eighth in a tight men's 3,000-meter steeplechase final on Saturday evening, finishing in 8:24.91. Hamilton remained with the top group throughout the majority of the race, and was as high as second 1,600 meters in, but a late surge saw a group of four pull away late. The two-time NCAA runner-up had finished third in his semifinal heat on Thursday to earn a spot in Saturday's final.
Alongside Hamilton in Thursday's 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinal was rising senior Levi Taylor, competing in his second straight USATF Outdoor Championships. The product out of Laurel finished 12th in the semifinal.
Earlier that same day, rising sophomore Ben Saelens shaved 13 seconds off his personal best to place seventh in the U20 3,000-meter steeplechase final. The Seattle, Wash., native, running just his fourth steeplechase event of the year, crossed the finish line in 9:11.92.
"That was a huge breakthrough for Ben," MSU Dale Kennedy Director of Track and Field Lyle Weese said. "Adjusting to college training and being around so many talented athletes like on our men's distance team is so challenging as a freshman. He had this opportunity after the season, after he'd had a little bit of recovery time from adjusting to the training and everything, and he really took advantage of it, running a huge PR and breaking through to another level."
On Thursday, Camila Noe made a statement in her first USATF championship meet by taking 16th in the women's 10,000 meter final with a time of 34:46.16 on Thursday night. The rising senior will headline a strong group of Bobcat returners in the distance events in 2023-2024.
Drake Schneider ('22) placed fourth in his qualifying heat of the 400-meter hurdles with a 50.33 on Friday to automatically earn a spot in Saturday's semifinal of the event, where he just missed out on a spot in Sunday's final despite a 50.09 finish.
Rising sophomore Elijah Jackman represented the Bobcats in the U20 hammer throw at Hayward Field, but was unable to record a mark on Friday.
"It's such a fun meet and such a great experience for our student –athletes, that it was great to have a large group of people there again this year," Weese said. "I believe this is the third U.S. Championships in a row that we've had really good representation, so it was just exciting to have so many current and former Montana State track and field student-athletes at the meet."
Montana State men's and women's track and field are both coming off runner-up finishes at the 2023 Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships, marking the third straight year for the men and the second consecutive season for the women posting a top-two finish.
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