DEFIANCE, Ohio-- Threef first-place finishes highlighted the performance of the Trine men's track and field team in the Defiance Open.
Patrick Richardville (Leo, Ind./Leo) won the 200-meter dash in 22.81 seconds to notch one of the team's first-place finishes. Richardville's pace was a half-second off the school record pace. RIchardville added a fourth place finish in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.07 seconds.
Zach Markley (Winamac, Ind./Winamac) accounted for Trine's other win in sprinting events as he won the 400-meter dash. The sophomore's time was 50.69 seconds. Markley also placed fourth in the 200-meter dash.
Robert Duke (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) highlighted the performance of distance runners, winning the 3,000-meter run in 9:08.48. Jonathan Phillips (Royal Center, Ind./Pioneer Jr.-Sr.), Nicholas Zak (Saint John, Ind./Hanover Central) and Garrett Benedict (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) took home the next three spots to give the Thunder the top four runners in the event.
Second-place finishes by Jacob Leopold (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) in the 800-meter run and James Gregory (Akron, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) in the 60-meter hurdles highlighted the performance of the Thunder elsewhere on the track.
In field events, Logan Lindsley (Battle Creek, Mich./Quincy) placed second in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet, 10.75 inches. Mitchell Martin (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) added a second-place finish in the weight throw with a personal-record throw of 51 feet, 5 inches.
Courtney Mitchell (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Leurs) added a new personal-record throw of 48 feet, 3 inches in the shot put to place third.
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The Defiance Open was Trine's final tune-up before hosting the 2016 MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. The inaugural indoor conference title meet will be held Saturday, Feb. 28 in Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Athletic Recreation Center.