Saint John, NB – The STFX track team finally saw some AUS competition for the first time this season as they participated in the UNB Reds University Invitational at the Irving Oil Field House over the weekend.

In Friday evening action, the X-Women and X-Men competed in two different events, the 3000m race and the 4x800m relay.

Amongst eight competitors in the women's 3000m run, sisters Allie and Breanna Sandluck came first and third, respectively. Allie finished with a time of 10:32.63, while Breanna ran 10:52.29. Tanna Burke (11:16.54) and Bridget Keedwell (11:20.63) also competed, placing fifth and sixth.   

In the men's 3000m race there was a large field of 21 racers with captain Luc Gallant the top X-Men, coming in in third place with a time of 8:47.25, an indoor personal best for him. Freshman Ben Good (9:20.63) placed 10^th overall in a strong showing in his first ever indoor race, and Noah Proulx (9:34.65) was 15^th.

Representing the X-Men in the 4x800m relay, Yared Tareke, Tyler Baker, Jacob Benoit and Jack Wierzbicki came third with a time of 8:25.20, behind Dalhousie (7:39.55) and the UNB 'B' team (7:50.28). Saint Mary's was fourth (8:25.34) and UNB 'A' did not finish.

The X-Women fielded two teams in the women's 4x800m relay race. Dalhousie took the top spot with a time of 9:21.28, while STFX 'A' comprised of Natasha Chojnacki, Brynn Hebert, Aidan MacDonald and Siona Chisholm were close behind in second place at 9:24.14, only three seconds off the pace. UNB came third (9:43.69) and STFX 'B' (Mairin Canning, Taylor Rasmussen, Eileen Benoit and Chloe Walker) were fourth with a 10:00.87 showing.

In Saturday's events, the X squads competed in the 300m, 600m, 1000m, and one mile run.

In the women's races, Natasha Chojnacki placed 8^th in the 300m race with a clocking of 46.20, and was 5^th in the 600m at 1:41.56. Her teammate Brynn Hebert placed 9^th in the 300m (46.28) and 7^th in the 600m (1:44.13). Lauren Liem also competed in the 600m for the X-Women and was 10^th overall with a time of 1:52.64.

Fresh off a strong performance in the 1000m at the Boston Invitational, Aidan MacDonald won top spots in both the 1000m and one mile run in Saint John Saturday afternoon. In the 1000m event, she ran a 3:04.61 time, while her result in the mile was 5:08.11.

Chloe Walker came fourth overall in the 1000m at 3:17.64, while three more X-Women competed in the one mile run. Allie Sandluck (5:18.98) was 7^th, Eileen Benoit (5:19.56) was 8^th and Breanna Sandluck (5:34.23) was 12^th.      

In the men's races on Saturday, Yared Tareke raced a 40.60 time to sixth place in the 300m race, while Tyler Baker claimed second in the 600m with a 1:28.50 result.

Jack Wierzbicki (2:37.63), Baker (2:47.74) and Tareke (2:48.54) placed 3-4-5 in the 1000m race for the X-Men, while the one mile run saw a large field of 33 racers. Jacob Benoit was the top X finisher, clocking in at 4:30.57 in 11^th place, followed closely in 12^th by teammate Luc Gallant at 4:33.43. Ben Good (4:38.97) was 17^th and Noah Proulx (4:49.22) was 25^th.

The STFX runners will next see action on March 4-5 at the ANS Open in Halifax at the Canada Games Centre.

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Courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Sports Information