Shane Gardner prepares to run on March 18, 2023.
Credit: Anna VazhaeparambilSoaring to new heights — indoor style.
Over the weekend, Penn men's track and field wrapped up their indoor season with a successful showing at the Ivy League Indoor Track & Field Championships. The event was held at Cornell University and featured the best track and field athletes from the Ancient Eight.
With multiple record-breaking performances over the course March 1-2, the Quakers finished second overall with a score of 104.5 points, Penn’s highest score in six years and only falling short to Princeton’s winning performance of 189.5 points. This is the Red and Blue's highest finish since 2019.
Although there were several standout performances, none could eclipse the efforts of one athlete — junior hurdler Shane Gardner. Coming into the championships, Gardner set his sights on breaking the Ivy League record in the 60-meter hurdles.
After a strong prelims performance with a 7.85-second 60m hurdle, Gardner entered the finals as the first seed. A few other Quakers, including junior multi-event specialist Jake Rose and sophomore sprinter Ryan Matulonis, would also join Gardner in the final.
On Sunday, a showdown amongst the top eight finalists would ensure. Running out of the middle lane, Gardner sprung out of the gate — and the rest is history.
“Shane had an incredible performance at the Ivy League Championships. To break the all-time Ivy League record and defend the title in the 60 [meter] hurdles is a huge achievement,” track and field director Steve Dolan wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
With a blazing time of 7.75 seconds, Gardner broke the record of 7.77 seconds, good enough for a meet record and for the fastest time in Ivy League history.
“It’s been very exciting to watch him continue to improve at his craft,” Dolan wrote. “This accomplishment is a direct result of all the hard work he’s put into the pursuit of his potential. I can’t wait to see what is possible in the outdoor season to come.”
Joining Gardner on the podium were Rose and Matulonis — finishing second and sixth respectively. Through manifestation and belief, Gardner brought the swagger and the speed to make the record a reality.
“I made the decision to do this a few weeks ago. I came and I executed. Today, it feels amazing,” Gardner told ESPN in a post-race interview. “To actually live my manifestation in reality and have all my dreams come to fruition.”
Staying on the track, other notable performances included Matulonis winning the 500m with a time of 1:02.01 seconds. The victory would secure him a back-to-back victory in the discipline.
Furthermore, after completing seven events, Rose took home first place in the men’s heptathlon with a total of 5369 points, bolstered by a winning shot-put performance of 14.46 m.
In the men's distance medley relay, senior distance runner Edwin Klanke, freshman distance runner Benjamin Markham, sophomore sprinter Nicholas DeVita, and junior distance runner Nick Carpenter finished in the bronze position with a time of 9:46.52 seconds. Freshman distance runner Brady Golomb, senior distance runner Kyle Miller, junior sprinter Nicolas Pizarro, and junior distance runner Liam Going placed fourth in the 4x800m relay with a time of 7:34.72 seconds.
Off the track, junior jumper Kampton Kam set a new Singaporean national record in the high jump at 7’ 3’’. The performance was a lifetime best for Kam, and tied him for 14th in the NCAA. Kam has his eyes set on NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend.
After closing out the indoor season with a championship performance, the team hopes to brings the same momentum and energy heading into the outdoor season.
With spring around the corner, it seems that the season is not the only thing that is heating up.
“Stay tuned,” Gardner said post-race to ESPN.
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