CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams closed competition on the second day of the Virginia Challenge Friday (April 21). The second of three competition days was jam-packed with impressive performances from the Cavaliers as Alix Still and Margot Appleton set school records while Ethan Dabbs kickstarted his season in the javelin.
Dabbs looked to be in true mid-season form competing at the Virginia Challenge. The NCAA runner-up and USATF Champion launched a season-best mark of 80.82 meters (265’2”) – a performance that bested a Lannigan Field and Virginia Challenge record which he set this time last season. The mark is the best in the ACC this season and ranks second in NCAA Division I. Tyler Zawatski threw a personal best of his own placing sixth with a mark of 63.65 meters (208’10”).
Hear from Ethan Dabbs after a statement performance in the javelin 🎙️#GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/xTqM6l9jbJ
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) April 22, 2023
Margot Appleton put down a historic performance in the women’s 5000-meter invitational. Virginia’s stellar sophomore broke a long-standing Virginia record in the event posting 15:36.28 to cruise to a victory and surpass Margaret Groos’ record set in 1980. The time currently ranks second in the ACC and ninth in NCAA Division I. On the men’s side of the event, Derek Johnson and Jack Eliason went 2-3 as each posted impressive personal bests of 13:45.51 and 13:47.07 respectively. Derek Johnson now ranks fifth on the Virginia all-time list while Eliason ranks sixth.
🚨SCHOOL RECORD 🚨
Hear from Margot Appleton post-race after breaking the UVA 5000-meter record running 15:36.28 ⚡️⚡️⚡️#GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/2SJB9noRC3
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) April 22, 2023
The Cavaliers continued to turn up the heat in the men’s and women’s 800 meters. Esther Seeland marked her second consecutive personal-best in the event as she placed fourth overall and posted the second-fastest time in UVA history at 2:04.21. The men’s side brought the heat as well. Conor Murphy placed second in a dead-heat finish posting a time of 1:47.27 which ranks fifth all time at Virginia. Kenton Bachmann and Liam Bellamy each recorded personal bests as well clocking 1:48.87 and 1:49.09 respectively.
Alix Still continued an impressive performance in the women’s heptathlon. Still picked up the competition…