Six John Brown University athletes participated in the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Wednesday and Thursday inside the Indiana Wesleyan Track & Field Complex in Marion, Ind.
The Golden Eagles' 4x800-meter relay team competed, along with junior Jean-Benoit Merte in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and senior Will Vail in the long jump.
On May 24, the two-mile relay team of sophomore Drew Birnbaum, sophomore Drew Janzen, senior Jadin Whiting and freshman Matthew Cooke took 21st in the overall in the preliminaries with a time of 7 minutes, 49.82 seconds.
The top nine finishes in the two-mile relay advanced to the finals.
The Spring Arbor (Mich.) team of Isaiah Romeyn, Gary Richardson, Tommee Smith and Dean Reynolds took first place overall at 7:35.62.
Also on May 24, Merte competed in the steeplechase, finishing 22nd overall with a time of 9:49.62 in the prelims. The top 14 teams advanced to the finals.
Peter Shippy of Dordt (Iowa) was the top overall finisher at 9:16.15.
On May 25, Vail recorded a jump of 7.13 meters and finished 17th overall. The top nine long jumpers advanced to the finals.
Goodness Iredia of Cumberland (Tenn.) was the overall top finisher at 7.63 meters.
Nicholas Robinson/JBU Sports Information John Brown's Drew Janzen runs a leg of the 4x800-meter relay at the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside the Track & Field Complex on May 24, 2023 in Marion, Ind.
Nicholas Robinson/JBU Sports Information John Brown's Matthew Cook runs a portion of the 4x800-meter relay during the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside the Track & Field Complex on May 24, 2023 in Marion, Ind.
Nicholas Robinson/JBU Sports Information John Brown's Jean-Benoit Merte runs in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside the Track & Field Complex on May 24, 2023 in Marion, Ind.
Nicholas Robinson/JBU Sports Information John Brown's Will Vail competes in the long jump at the NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside the Track & Field Complex on May 25, 2023 in Marion, Ind.
Nicholas Robinson/JBU Sports Information John Brown's Jadin Whiting runs a leg of the 4x800-meter relay during NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside the Track & Field Complex on May 24, 2023 in Marion, Ind.