IU welcomes top track competition

The IU track and field team will look to continue its record-setting season when it plays host to the Gladstein Invitational, starting from noon to 8:30 p.m. today and concluding Saturday with events from 10 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

More than 780 athletes, including Beijing Olympians Hyleas Fountain and Mary Wineberg, will converge on Bloomington to compete.

“Going up against professional athletes is nerve-racking, but also really exciting,” junior distance runner Andrew Poore said. “I’m going up against guys who get paid to do this on the national level.”

The Gladstein Invitational will be the biggest meet for the Hoosiers this season, with representatives from 13 schools and eight club or professional organizations.

The team will look to build upon last week’s dual meet win against Purdue, a meet that included sophomore Derek Drouin winning two of the three events he competed in, junior Faith Sherrill improving in women’s shot put, and senior Ashley Rhoades breaking the IU indoor high jump record.

“I think we’re really getting there as a team,” freshman Andy Bayersaid. “Together, we’re moving in the right direction.”

IU coach Ron Helmer sees this weekend’s two-day invitational as a chance for his student athletes to gauge their talent against some of the nation’s best.

“I wouldn’t put us against anyone who I didn’t think we could compete against,” Helmer said. “My attitude is that this invitational will be a great opportunity to see where everyone is against a special group of athletes.”