Bulldogs and Crimson team up to take on British foes

Rivals became teammates as four of the best universities in the world competed against one another in track and field on Sat., Apr. 14. Yale teamed up with Harvard to beat the Oxford/Cambridge team in both men's (10-9) and women's events (13-4). This unique meet has been bringing together bitter foes and pitting the two countries against each other for over a century. 

Only the first place finisher in each event receives a point. Yale scored in nine individual events and added three additional points from winning relays with the help of Harvard's runners.

Anika Kreider, MC '03, won the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.25 seconds and was greeted at the finish line by Bill Cosby, the meet's honorary official starter. The TV superstar embraced Kreider at the finish line, encouraging her to "keep walking; never let them think you're tired!" Clad in Yale paraphenalia, Cosby added an extra spark of excitement to the meet, although "Bill false-started the race because he just could not master the right pace when saying `on your mark, get set, go!'" Kreider said.

Kreider teamed up with Jessica Thomas, MC '02, and the Crimson's Brenda Taylor '02 and Amanda Shanklin '01 to win the 4x400-meter relay. Other notable Yale results included the 1-2 finishes by Jennifer Newsom, JE '01, (25.44) and Ayodope Anise, SM '01, (26.05) in the 200-meter sprint; William Wicker, BR '04, (6.73m 22'01.00) and Anthony Thomas, DC '03, (6.73m 22'01.00) in the long jump; and Sikira Backus, ES '02, (12.18) and Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu, TD '01, (12.27) in the 100-meter sprint.

The men captured their final point in the 10-9 win over Oxford/Cambridge in the 4x400 relay thanks to a burst of energy from Donnie Carson, CC '02.

Despite the fact that Yale and Harvard competed as a team, the rivalry endured. "They were still in their jerseys, and we were in ours," Ryan Barrows, MC '01, said. "The only place we were really a team is on the scorer's sheet. It's still Harvard."

This weekend that rivalry will be in full force, as Yale travels to Cambridge, Mass. The Penn Relays and the Heptagonal Championships follow on Thurs., Apr. 26-Fri., Apr. 27 and Sun., May 6. -Melissa Blakeley

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