BRUNSWICK, Maine – Multiple school records fell on Saturday as the Bowdoin College outdoor track & field teams hosted the Pine Tree State Classic on Friday and Saturday at Whittier Field and Magee-Samuelson Track.
 
The Polar Bear women came away with a first-place finish in the nine-team field while the men placed third overall in the meet, which featured nine in-state programs in the teams' final tune-up before championship season begins next week with NESCACs.
 
Women's Meet Highlights

• The Polar Bears ran away with a first-place finish, totaling 161 points to defeat closest competitors Colby (131) and Bates (130).
• Corinne Ahern led the way for Bowdoin, posting multiple wins in the throws. Ahern took a victory in the javelin (39.60m) and the hammer (46.49) for the Polar Bears.
• Kianne Benjamin was named the Women's Track MVP of the meet, taking a win in the 200 event in 24.81.
• Bowdoin's 4x100 relay team of Sophia Young, Rose Jenkins, Catherine Uwakwe, and Kennedy Kirkland also earned a win in 49.22 seconds while Greta Ahlefeld took the 5k in 20:24.72.
• The Polar Bears cemented their win in the field events. In addition to Ahern's wins, Bowdoin also got first place finishes from Charlotte Hodge in the pole vault (3.81m), and Jenna Albanese in the long jump (5.30m).
• Bowdoin's depth was also on display with numerous runner-up showings, including Lauren Traum in the 800 (2:18.55), Stephanie Chun in the 1500 (4:47.68), Uwakwe in the 400 hurdles (1:09.96), Gracie Scheve in the triple jump (10.50m), and Ginger Arnold in the shot put (12.23m).

Men's Meet Highlights

• The men took third place overall with 134 points on the afternoon, trailing only Bates (179) and Southern Maine (138).
• Bowdoin boasted a pair of school records on the day, including a 48-year old record in the 400 hurdles. Max Russo won the event in a time of 52.90, breaking the mark of 53.50 held by Thomas Getchell since 1976. The time is currently 5^th on the NCAA performance lists. Russo was named the Hillman Award winner as the men's track MVP of the event.
• The Polar Bears also set a new school mark in the 4x100 relay as Ronan O'Flaherty, Dov Mcguire-Berk, Justin Whitney, and Kane Demers posted a time of 42.29, breaking the old mark of 42.50 from 2019.
• Other wins on the track included Brooks Peters taking the 800 (1:54.60) and Ben Bockmann winning the 3000 steeplechase (9:40.84).
• Bowdoin's 4x800 team of Matthew Audi, Nicholas Mott, Grady Etheridge, and Dylan Herring also placed first in 8:21.67.
• In the field, Polar Bear first-year Omar Frostman El-Hmaini claimed the triple jump for his first collegiate outdoor win, posting a distance of 12.94m to take the win.
• The meet also featured a number of second-place finishes for the Polar Bears, including Kane Demers in the 100 (10.91), Aidan Singer in the 800, right behind Peters (1:54.66), Will Goddard in the 1500 (3:54.90), and Nicky Yoong in the steeplechase (10:25.07).

Up Next

• The Polar Bears will travel to Tufts University next weekend for the 2024 NESCAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Meet information can be found here.