Track & Field Begins Outdoor Season Saturday

Saturday, March 22

Philadelphia, Pa.

10:00 a.m.

Columbia University

Penn Challenge

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

3/21/2025 3:00:00 PM | Track and Field

Outdoor Schedule

Lions open at the Penn Challenge

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The Columbia track & field team opens the outdoor portion of its 2025 schedule on Saturday at the Penn Challenge in Philadelphia. The meet is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

INDOOR RECAP
Following the completion of the Lions' indoor season at the Ivy League Indoor Heps in Ithaca, multiple Lions were recognized for their achievements.

The men's 4x800 relay team consisting of Caleb Gartner, Matt Gatune, Justin Gottlieb, Jacob Van Orden was named Second Team All-Ivy after finishing with a time of 7:30.41 to earn a silver medal. Gartner ran a strong opening leg, putting the Lions in third place. Gatune was next up for the Lions and ran the second fastest split in the race, helping Columbia move into second place. Gottlieb and Van Orden did their part to hold on to second.

The women's 4x800 relay squad was also named Second Team All-Ivy. The lineup of Isabella Shertzer, Rory Clare, Grace Carr, Lucy Henkel finished in second place with a time of 8:42.05 which was good for a silver medal and a new Columbia program record. Clare helped get the Lions on the podium after running a blistering second leg with a split time of 2:08.71 – moving Columbia up five spots.

In addition, both Clare and Gatune were named Academic All-Ivy.

For a full recap of the 2025 Indoor Track & Field Championships, click HERE. Full results from the Ivy League Indoor Heps can be found HERE.

In addition, the Lions set a ton of new program records during the indoor season.

Obiora Okeke broke the weight throw record multiple times, eventually settling at a personal best mark of 20.60m. He also broke his own shot put program record with a mark of 18.61m.

Lucy Henkel set a new record in the 1000m with a time of 2:42.81. She also set an 800m record with a time of 2:05.62.

On day two of the Dr. Sander Scorcher at the Armory, Joshua Adams broke the program record in the Long Jump with a mark of 7.52m.

The Lions will be looking to carry over this momentum into the outdoor season.

LAST OUTDOOR SEASON
Following the completion of the Ivy League Outdoor Heps on last year, multiple student-athletes on the men's and women's teams were recognized with postseason All-Ivy accolades. Of those students, the returners for the 2025 season include Okeke, Henkel, Carr and Talha Syed.

Okeke represented the men with a First Team All-Ivy selection in the shot put, after his dominant toss of 18.68m won him a gold medal in the event.

The women's 4x800m relay team, which Carr and Henkel both ran on, received First Team All-Ivy recognition after setting a meet record in the event with a time of 8:36.97 to secure first place.

Syed garnered Second Team All-Ivy honors after finishing in second place in the 10,000m on the men's side with a time of 29:11.47. Syed was also recognized for his prowess in the classroom, as the economics major was named to the Academic All-Ivy Team.

Following the outdoor regular season, 10 Columbia student-athletes punched their tickets to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Eastern Prelims after posting a top-48 mark in their respective events (top-24 for relays). Of that group, the returners for the 2025 season include Okeke, Adams, Syed, Elia Ton-That, and Charlie Siebert.

Okeke qualified for the NCAA Championships in the discus, where he was named an honorable mention All-American after finishing 21st in the country with a mark of 51.15m. He also placed 40th in the shot put at prelims.

Siebert had the Lions' other top finish at Eastern Prelims, placing 27th in the 10k. Syed placed 33rd in the 10k.

Ton-That placed 31st in the 3000m steeplechase while Adams took 40th in the long jump.

The Lions will be looking to not only repeat last year's successes, but add to them.

ON DECK:
With the Lions' outdoor season fully underway, next up will be the Raleigh Relays on March 28 in North Carolina.

Columbia's schedule for the rest of the 2024-25 season 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).