Crimson Elite 2025

Albert H Gordon Track, Home of Harvard Track and Field

The Harvard Crimson Elite 2025 was held on Friday, January 7 at the Gordon Track in Boston. (For another week, the abundance of choices in the Boston area are evident with meets held at Harvard, BU and New Balance.)

Scoring more than 4,000 points is a signficant achievement in the women's indoor pentathlon. Harvard's Izzy Goudros exercised her home track advantage and racked up more than 4300 points (4,313) to win the competition. Delaney Seligmann from Brown competed well to finish in second place (3,866) with Jada Johnson of Tulane finishing in third place with 3,645 points.

Izzy Goudros of Harvard

Jada Johnson of Tulane competing in the long jump

Harvard's Izzy Goudros

Brown University's Delaney Seligmann souring in the long jump

Start of the women's pentathlon final event

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The men's high jump featured some outstanding performances with Harvard's Tito Alofe clearing 2.18 for the win. Enaji Muhammad from the University of Connecticut and MIT's Jackson Bliey both cleared 2.10 with Enaji taking second place on count backs.

Harvard's Tito Alofe

Enaji Muhammad from University of Connecticut

MIT's Jackson Bliey

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In the women's long jump competition, UConn's A'liyah Thomas won the event jumping close to her season's best, with a winning jump of 6.13 meters. Mariella Schweitzer of Dartmouth had the second longest jump of the day at 6.01m. She also competed in the 60 meter hurdles, placing fourth in the hurdles. Brown University's Jada Joseph finished third with a leap of 5.98 meters.

A'liyah Thomas of University of Connecticut

Dartmouth's Mariella Schweitzer

Jada Joseph of Brown University

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The women's elite field for the one mile run had a number of runners from the University of Maine, with Abby Rodriquenz winning in a time of 5:11.02 with her teammate Kahryn Cullenberg placing third in 5:13.63. Leah Mendibles of the University of California Santa Barbara spoiled the Maine sweep, finishing second in a time of 5:13.44.

At the start of the women's mile, University of Maine teammates Bea Resser, Kathryn Cullenberg and US Santa Barbara Leah Mendibles

UC Santa Barbara Alexa Bryson with Maine's Abby Rodriquenz, Kennedy Taylor and Eden Newman

One mile race winner Abby Rodriquenz

Leah Mendibles edging out Kahryn Cullenberg for second place

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There was drama in the first heat of the men's one mile race. Graham Blanks assumed pacing duties, pushing the field to the sub-four minute mile atmosphere. Joe Ewing of Harvard held off Christian Noble (New Balance). Although they both were given the same time, 3:59.6, the photo finish awarded the victory to Joe Ewing. Harvard's Ben Rosa dipped under four minutes with a time of 3:59.74 and Noah Ward (also representing Harvard) finished just behind them in 4:00.15.

Start of heat one of the men's mile, with Graham Blanks assuming pacing duties for the evening

Mid-race, pacing continues

Joe Ewing of Harvard on his own, after the race pacer drops

Christian Noble of New Balance sees his opening on the rail

Joe Ewing holds on for the win

The crowd was roaring at the finish! Anyone who questions how special a four minute mile has either never seen or has never run one (or both.)

In the second heat of the men's mile, there was some heroic racing with the heat winners finishing about twenty seconds behind the heat one winners (4:20.) A four twenty mile time is about 2.5 seconds slower per lap than a four minute mile. Still flying!

Start of the second heat of the men's mile

Mid-race racing

With a few laps to go, GBTC's Brendan Carter takes over the race

Jared Fortenberry of the University of Maine and GBTC's Brendan Carter with one lap to go

Jared Fortenberry securing the win in heat two of the men's mile

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In the men's long jump, event winner Simone Menchini of the University of Albany jumped near his personal best with a leap of 7.62 meters (25 feet.) Marc Morrison of UConn captured second place with his best jump of the day at 7.55 meters. Coppin State's Jeff Hammond secured third place at 7.52 meters, his best performance of the season.

Simone Menchini leaping to victory

University of Connecticut's Marc Morrison

Jeff Hammond of Coppin State

Louis Gordon (unattached) walking on air

And a few more photos from the meet