Vermillion, South Dakota — Payton Mauldin won the 400m to highlight the final day of competition for the Dordt University men’s track and field team at the South Dakota Challenge, a meet hosted by the University of South Dakota.
Mauldin crossed the finish line with a personal-best time of 49.16, holding off Demar Francis (USD) by .27 seconds, to win the 400m title. Mauldin’s time is currently the fourth fastest in the GPAC and comes two days after a second place finish in the 800m with the NAIA’s second best time.
Dordt athletes recorded six top 10 finishes and four personal bests this afternoon.
Mauldin anchored the Defenders 4×400 relay to a third place finish (3:20.6). Relay members include Micah Brands, Luke Wagner and Cole Zevenbergen.
Wagner placed 10th in the 400m (51.45) and Dordt’s 4×100 relay finished seventh (Brands, Wagner, Ryan Schober and Devin Bos).
Justin Groen ran a personal-best in the 110m hurdle prelims (15.56) to qualify for the finals. Groen finished sixth overall with a time of 15.61.
Defenders in the top 10 / Personal Bests:
400m:
Payton Mauldin – 1st: 49.16
Luke Wagner – 10th: 51.45
110m Hurdles:
Justin Groen – 6th: 15.61
4×100 – 7th (Brands, Wagner, Schober, Bos)
4×400 – 3rd (Brands, Wagner, Zevenbergen, Mauldin)
100m:
Ryan Schober – 11.18 (PR)
Joshua Van Hulzen – 11.71 (PR)
NEXT UP
The Defenders will compete as a split squad next week; a limited number of athletes will run at the Drake Relays on April 28-30; the rest of the Defenders will compete in the Mount Marty Invite.
