Liberty University
VertKlasse Meeting
Carnathan, Olson Stand Out on VertKlasse Day 1
4/1/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty's duo of Brittany Carnathan (third in women's steeplechase) and Caleb Olson (runner-up in men's 5K) each excelled in debut races on a chilly, blustery opening day of the VertKlasse Meeting, Thursday at High Point's Vert Stadium.
Competing in the steeplechase for the first time, Carnathan placed third with a time of 11:18.66 which ranks No. 6 all-time at Liberty. Teammate Kyley Sorg finished fifth in a personal-best 11:38.50.
Olson closed out the first outdoor track race of his collegiate career strongly, covering the final 1,600 in 4:34. As a result, the freshman broke the 15:00 barrier for the first time with his runner-up 14:51.90 clocking.
Joe Spitzer (fourth place, 4:01.06) and Kyle Harkabus (fifth, 4:02.17) each recorded top-five finishes in the men's 1,500.
Kristiana Young (4:46.12) was eighth of 86 entrants in the women's 1,500, while Jamie Anderson paced the Lady Flames' 5K crew with an outdoor personal-best 18:14.68 for sixth place.
Women's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Brittany Carnathan – Steeplechase – 11:18.66
Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Caleb Olson – 5K – 14:51.90
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Women's Top 10 List
Steeplechase – No. 6 – Brittany Carnathan – 11:18.66
Up Next
Liberty's first event on Friday at the VertKlasse Meeting will see the trio of Ava Perez Erickson, Itzel Santos and Heidi Tillman compete in the women's 800 at 3:55 p.m.
Meanwhile, eight Liberty distance runners will race at the Sound Running College Invite Friday night in Irvine, Calif. Ryan Drew and Ally Kipchirchir will get things started in the men's 1,500 at 10 p.m. Eastern.
