Salsberry set a new program mark for the second week in a row while Tulane's distance runners top-10 performances across both competition sites.
The Tulane Green Wave track and field team has had a busy weekend as they split the squad for one of the more important slates of their outdoor campaign this season. It’s already been quite eventful, with Day One of the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Ca., being historic for the Wave on Thursday night. Silas Kiptanui broke his own program record for the 3,000m steeplechase that he set last June, with a mark of 8:25.16 and a third-place finish.
Tulane had multiple top 10 finishes for the program that set the tone for a weekend that has continued strong across multiple time zones. Day One of the Tom Tellez Alumni Invitational in Houston kicked off on Friday as the California event continued onto day two. In Texas, the Green Wave had yet another star break their own program record.
The third new program record went to Cara Salsberry in the hammer throw, hurling a distance of 59.54m to both win the event and best her own mark of 59.22m that she set just last week in College Station, Tx. The throw is good for 53rd nationally in Division I. Salsberry competed in not just the hammer throw, but also in the discus, where she finished runner-up with a mark of 50.03 – which is the second-best distance in program history. Salsberry would have to best Jelena Jurlina’s record 55.27m which is over two decades old that she set in 2004. Salsberry is a strong performer for the Wave, with a two-event showing that highlights one of the most productive field competitors. And she’s in the midst of a historic stretch breaking her own records in back-to-back weeks.
Marissa Gordon was the top performer for Tulane on the track in Houston with a sixth-place finish in the women’s 400m and a time of 56.33. Alexander Montoro finished 18th in the men’s 400m with a time of 51.52. Bella Carroll came in 18th in the women’s 100m prelims with a time of 12.35. A quartet of competitors for the Wave ran the men’s 100m prelims. Andrew Bamberg led the four with a 20th place finish and a time of 11.04; Noah Warren was 23rd with a time of 11.13; Christian McGuire came in 27th with a mark of 11.38; Jay Bowles finished in 29th with a time of 11.86.
The Bryan Clay Invitational also had a successful Day Two for Tulane with impact performances in distance. But the crescendo of both events will come on Saturday. The Gren Wave will round out their significant outdoor weekend with competitors in sprints and field events, and more distance competitions in California.