Shannon Watt was one of two top-five Harvard finishers in the shot put at the Gotham Cup (Harvard Athletic Communications).

NEW YORK – The Harvard track and field team opened its 2011 indoor schedule by competing at the Gotham Cup Friday at the New York City Armory.

Natalia Paine got the women's team started with an eighth place finish in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:17.57 and Aliana Murphy followed with a fourth place time of 2:59.67 in the 1,000. Kirsten Jorgensen's time of 5:21.88 was good for sixth in the mile and the distance medley relay team of Kristina Funahashi, Sana Raoof, Catherine Ressijac and Kailyn Kuzmuk turned in a winning time of 12:20.56, more than 10 seconds ahead of the second place squad.

Adriann Lachance and Sydnie Leroy turned in matching second-place marks in the pole vault with 3.55 meter clearances and Adabelle Ekechukwu placed seventh in the weight throw with a toss of 15.21 meters. Meghan Looney followed with a fifth-place time of 2:17.93 in the 800 and Alysha Johnson and Shannon Watt rounded out the field performers with second and fifth place finishes in the shot put.

Ryan Romain (12th), Tyler Cusik (13th) and Jared Squires (21st) got things started on the men's side in the 1000, and the distance medley relay team of Paul Koullick, Brian Hill, Erik Kraus and James Leakos took third with a time of 10:27.59. Dustin Brode led a quartet of Crimson competitors in the weight throw with a third place mark of 16.37 meters.

Hill earned a win for the Crimson in the 800 with a time of 1:53.01 and Darcy Wilson took third in the mile with a mark of 4:10.58. Sean Gil's clearance of 4.45 meters in the pole vault was good for fourth along with teammate Fedor Garin and Edward Brucker wrapped up the field events with a fifth place finish in the shot put.

Next on the schedule, the Crimson hosts the Harvard Challenge Jan. 22 against Brown, Army and Colgate.