True '08 takes first place in 1500 meters at Twilight Meet

Ben True '08 took the top spot in the 1500-meter run while several other runners posted their best times of the year as the Dartmouth track team raced at Bentley College's Twilight Meet, which was held 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on May 23. For the six men who raced in the meet for Dartmouth, the meet represented their last hurrah for the season. "We went down there primarily to give the guys on the team the chance to race one last time the outdoor season goes so quickly," said Barry Harwick, head coach of men's track and field. True blazed an unbeatable trail in the 1500-meter run. His time of 3:46.88 was almost a second faster than that of second-place finisher, Dave Juliano of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. True, now a Dartmouth alumnus, used the meet as an opportunity to train before next season, when he plans to run professionally. True officially graduated after Winter term 2009, during which he ran occasionally with the track team in addition to competing with the Dartmouth ski team. Harwick said that True's first-place finish was not unexpected. "Based on his workouts, I was not surprised at his fast time," Harwick said. Although True said he was pleased with his finish in the meet, he added that he feels he needs to readjust to the racing environment and "learn how to go all out again." "I just started my running season, so the major part for me was to get the race in as a workout and improve my speed," True said in an interview with The Dartmouth. True said that he plans to spend the summer training and racing in Oregon. Dartmouth also took the 14th, 16th and 17th place spots in the 1500, notched by John Turro '12, Peter Jankovsky '12 and Dylan Summers '12, respectively. Turro's and Summers' times were their best of the year. Turro crossed the line in 3:58.85, and Summers followed closely at 4:00.67. Jankovsky finished between his two teammates in 4:00.64. Chase Eldredge '11 also achieved his own personal record in the 5000-meter run, which he completed in 15:06.21. The Dartmouth track members who have qualified for NCAA Regionals will travel to Greensboro, N.C., next weekend. The competition is much more individually based than previous meets, as athletes attempt to attain finishes that will qualify them for Nationals. Harwick noted that Emily Daly '09, who competes in the hammer throw, has a particularly good chance to qualify. Nationals will take place from June 10 to 13 at the University of Arkansas.