Track & Field Ready for Ivy League Indoor Heps

Saturday, February 24

Boston, Mass.

9:30 a.m.

Columbia University

Ivy League Indoor Championships

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.

2/21/2024 3:00:00 PM | Track and Field

Championship Central Live Results WATCH (DAY ONE)WATCH (DAY TWO)

This year's championships will take place in Boston, Mass.

BOSTON, Mass. — The Columbia track & field team has officially concluded its 2024 indoor regular season, and is set to make the trek to Boston for the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Harvard University. The competition, which will take place throughout the entire day on both Saturday and Sunday at Gordon Indoor Track, is set to begin with the women's 60m hurdles on Saturday at 10:45 a.m.

HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
Visit the Ivy League's championship central for up to date information on the championships including ticket information, media credential forms, and more.

Every day of the championships will be streamed via ESPN+. You can stream day one of the competition HERE and day two of the competition HERE.

Live results for every day of the competition will be available HERE, along with a full schedule of events HERE.

Follow @CULionsXCTF on Twitter and Instagram for a recap of each day's events and announcements about any major accomplishments from the Lions.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lions closed out their 2024 indoor regular season as a team two weeks ago, with part of the squad competing in the BU Valentine Invitational while the rest of the Lions competed in the Fastrack National Invite. Many Lions had strong performances that they hope to carry into Indoor Heps this weekend.

Back home at Ocean Breeze at the Fastrack National Invite, Obiora Okeke continued his string of stellar performances in the shot put, taking first with a mark of 17.68m. Other standouts for the men include Talha Syed who took fourth in the mile with a time of 4:05.43 and Simon Skoumal who secured second in the weight throw with a mark of 17.10m

For the women, Zariyah Braxton was the star of the show after claiming first place in the triple jump with a mark of 5.12m. Leanna Johnston (9:45.36), and McKinlee Morris (13.16m) both earned second place finishes, in the 3000m and shot put, respectively.

Meanwhile, in Boston at the BU Valentine Invitational, Devon Davey had the top placement for the men with a fourth-place finish and time of 47.36 in the 400m dash. For the women, Tess Darnell had the top placement with a 37th place finish and time of 56.68 in the 400m dash.

Full results from the Fastrack National Invite, including all of the Lions' top performers and times, can be found HERE.

Full results from the BU Valentine Invitational, including all of the Lions' top performers and times, can be found HERE.

RETURNING CHAMPIONS
Justin O'Toole will be looking to defend his title in the 800m run at this year's Indoor Heps, which he won last year with a record-setting time of 1:49.86. This time set a new Leverone Field House record in New Hampshire, as O'Toole became the first runner to break the 1:50 mark in the facility's history.

In addition, Columbia's distance runners will be looking to build upon an incredible cross country season and take home hardware in multiple distance events this weekend. At this year's Ivy League Cross Country Heps, Phoebe Anderson earned a silver medal in the women's 6k with a time of 20:22.2 and was named First Team All-Ivy. Elia Ton-That also received First Team All-Ivy recognition with a fifth-place finish and time of 20:51.0. Rounding out the top-15 for the women was Nikki Vanasse, who finished with a time of 21:31.9. Talha Syed, who clocked in with a time of 25:01.4 in the 8k, paced the men with a 24th place finish. This quartet went on to all be named All-Region, while Anderson continued on to be named an All-American.

MORE ON PHOEBE
Anderson has had an incredible indoor season to date, and looks to cap things off with an Ivy League Championship.

Most recently, at the JDL Last Chance meet in North Carolina, she broke her own 5000m record (which she set earlier this year at the BU Season Opener) with a time of 15:33.96 to take second place in the event. This time ranks seventh in the entire NCAA, and the top-16 on the national list at the end of the season will qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston later this year.

A week earlier at the Husky Classic, the junior distance runner shattered another Columbia record, this time in the 3000m run, taking ninth place in the event with a time of 8:59.70. Anderson became the first Lion to ever break 9 minutes in the 3000m, while clocking the third fastest time in the history of the Ivy League in the process.

At the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge earlier this year, Anderson had another big weekend. She set a new record in the women's mile run with a time of 4:35.89, which was also the seventh fastest time in the history of the Ivy League.

It is safe to say this weekend could be one to remember for Anderson.

THIS YEAR'S ROSTER
This year's full roster of competitors can be found in the picture below: (Will be provided when available)
Lion Head Keyline White

UP NEXT
After the conclusion of Indoor Heps, the Lions will look ahead to the ECAC/IC4A Championships which will be held from March 2-3, beginning at 9:30 a.m. both days. NCAA Indoor Championships are set for Friday, March 8. Both events will take place in Boston, Mass.

Columbia's schedule for the rest of the 2023-24 season, including the upcoming outdoor schedule, can be found HERE.

Stay up to date on all things Columbia track & field by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsXCTF), Instagram (@culionsxctf) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).