SU wins 4 races at Virginia Challenge, Bobbi Palma Spring Classic
Syracuse's Omar Alsaidi, Baneet Bains, Olivia Joly and Emanuel Joseph won races at the Virginia Challenge and Bobbi Palma Spring Classic. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse track and field competed at the Virginia Challenge and the Bobbi Palma Spring Classic Friday and Saturday. The Orange captured four first-place finishes over the two events, including freshman Omar Alsaidi’s win in the men’s 5k.
At the Virginia Challenge, Baneet Bains and Justus Holden-Betts started SU off in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Bains finished first with a time of 10:25.12. Holden-Betts crossed the finish line slightly after in 10:47.45, placing ninth.
The men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase was led by Julian Franjieh. His time of 8:43.47 seconds handed him an eighth-place finish. Solomon Holden-Betts’ time of 9:04.73 gave him 10th.
Alsaidi led the way in the men’s 5k. He finished in 14:17.60, earning him the win. Redshirt sophomore Ruben Rojas Betanzos followed him in eighth with a time of 14:27.85. Freshmen Sam Ricchiuti and Connell Alford both finished outside the top 20. The night concluded with the men’s 10k. Ethan Wechsler came in fifth with a time of 30:29.54. Gabriel Planty’s time of 31:15.62 was good enough for ninth place.
In Albany, New York, SU raced at the Bobbi Palma Spring Classic. Its women’s 4×100 team led off the meet with a second-place finish in a time of 47.73 seconds. The squad included Olivia Garner, Iaunia Pointer, Peyton Rollins and Kahniya James.
The men’s 4×100 team also secured second place with a time of 40.49 seconds. The quartet was made up of James Nmah and Syracuse football players Darrell Gill Jr, Malachi Coleman, and Malachi James.
In the women’s 1500-meter race, senior Olivia Joly led the way with a time of 4:42.69, placing first. Sophomore Leah Futey followed closely behind in second, running a personal-best 4:43.65. Junior Lucy Zombek placed 17th while sophomore Kayla Harding finished 18th.
In the women’s 400-meter, sophomore Shayla Ford placed second with a time of 59.28 seconds while freshman Mia Hernandez finished fourth in 1:03.13.
In the women’s 100-meter hurdles, sophomore Taleea Buxton led the Orange with a second-place finish in 13.55 seconds. Rollins followed in fourth, clocking in at 13.86 seconds. Madison Ceasar placed sixth in 13.96 seconds, while Marissa Saunders ran a personal-best 15.04 seconds to finish ninth.
Syracuse dominated the men’s 110-meter hurdles, sweeping the top four spots. Redshirt junior Emanuel Joseph led the charge with a personal-best 13.85 seconds to take the win. Naseem Smith, Isaiah Lewis and Isaiah Hayes took the next three spots. David Peters rounded out the group in sixth place, giving SU five of the top six runners.
Blake Parker then competed in the women’s 800-meter run, and her time of 2:27.07 was good enough for fourth place. Ceasar placed second in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.71. Hernandez rounded out a strong day for the Orange with a fourth-place finish in the women’s 200-meter.
