Galesburg, IL – A men’s track and field runner is being recognized for the big day he had during the second indoor meet of the season.
Senior Sean Choate (Chicago, IL, Chicago Academy) is the latest Prairie Fire Performer of the Week after breaking a record that stood for over two decades at the Midwest Invitational hosted by Monmouth College on January 19.
Choate set the new record in the 5000 meter run with a time of 15:29.06, topping Joe Simpson’s 15:32.72 in 1988. Choate owns the second-fastest 5K time by a Midwest Conference runner and shaved nearly 45 seconds off his previous career-best of 16:12.82.
He’s also made his way into the Prairie Fire indoor track and field record books this season in the mile and 3000 meter run.
Choate is third in the Midwest Conference and ranks #5 on the Knox all-time individual list with his time of 4:40.45 in the mile at the season-opening Knox Invitational on January 12. His 9:24.86 in the 3K -- also at the Knox Invitational -- represents the fourth-fastest time in the MWC to date and is #10 on the all-time individual list.
Choate entered his senior season with three all-time top 10 indoor track and field marks, a total he’s already eclipsed this season with a total of four in just two meets: #1 all-time performance and individual lists in the 5000 meters, #5 all-time individual list in the mile, #10 all-time individual list in the 3000 meters.
Choate is the second straight member of the men’s indoor track and field team to win the Prairie Fire Performer of the Week Award.
Senior Joe Puntoriero (Cheektowaga, NY, Cleveland Hill) was the award recipient on January 16, and he was also named the Midwest Conference Men’s Track Performer of the Week. He placed first in three events and set two new school records – and missed a third record by the slimmest of margins -- during the Knox Invitational.
Puntoriero joined Choate in breaking a record at the Midwest Invitational.
His time of :22.88 in the 200 meters during the first indoor meet ranks second in school history and was just one-hundredth of a second shy of tying the fastest time in school history in the event. Puntorioro got over the hump by finishing the 200 meter race in :22.77 at Monmouth, breaking the previous record of :22.87 held since 1999 by Scott McCarty.
The Prairie Fire indoor track and field teams travel to Bloomington to participate in the Titan Open, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University, on January 26. The meet is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.
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