CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore throwers Alexander Kolesnikoff and Stephanie Ratcliffe had standout performances in their native Australia on March 25^th at the Melbourne Track Classic, and junior David Melville added another strong performance in Arizona earlier in the week on March 21.
 
Ratcliffe placed second in the hammer throw, reaching 60.35 meters (198') to break a 19-year old Harvard record in the event, previously held by Natalie Grant '02. Ratcliffe had a strong debut season for the Crimson as a first-year, placing third at Ivy Indoor Heps in the weight throw. She recorded the second best mark (18.92 meters/68"4") in school history earlier in the season at the H-Y-P meet.
 
Kolesnikoff continued his strong 2020-21 campaign, beating Australian national record holder and Olympian Damien Birkinhead in the shot put with a mark of 19.81 meters (65'), a new school record and personal best. That throw helped him win the event in Melbourne, held at Lakeside Stadium. Kolesnikoff is the only Harvard thrower to top 19 meters in the event and is coming off two previous events in Australia in which he broke the school shot put mark.

Melville won the 10,000 meter run at the Saints Distance Classic in Scottsdale, setting a new personal record and moving into third on Harvard's all-time list with a 29:09.90 finish.

Olympic hopeful Gabby Thomas '19 continued a string of impressive performances, winning the 200 meters with a new personal best (22.17) at the Texas Relays on Saturday (March 27). Thomas is coming off an indoor campaign in which she ran the world's fastest time in the 300 meters this season, winning the New Balance Grand Prix in 35.73.