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Grand View University¶s Obsie Birru (Des Moines, Iowa) has been selected as this week¶s NAIA
Women¶s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week the national office announced Wednesday. Birru
was selected based upon her performances at the Wartburg Select on April 2nd.
Birru competed in three events at the Wartburg Select. She won the 1,500m in an NAIA
automatic qualifying time of 4:39.33, which is the fourth fastest time posted in the NAIA this
season. Birru then came back later in the day to win the 5,000m run. Her time of 17:10.99 is the
leading time in the NAIA and also broke the previous school record set by Birru. In her third race
of the day, Birru placed second in the 800m run with a GV school record mark of 2:16.97.
This is Birru¶s second national honor this year; she was the NAIA Women¶s Indoor Track Athlete
of the Week on February 16th.
Obsie's number; 515-720-9260

 

  



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The Grand View women¶s track & field team placed fourth out of 15 teams at the Wartburg Select
in Waverly on Saturday. The Vikings were up against some tough competition facing the host
Knights of Wartburg College who were the NCAA Division III national runners-up during the
indoor season and the Iowa Central Tritons that placed third at the NJCAA indoor
championships. Wartburg walked away with the team title scoring 160.5 points, doubling the 80
points put up by UW-La Crosse and Iowa Central who tied for second place. The Vikings were
only four points behind posting a score of 76 points on the day.
Junior All-American Lauryn Camp got things rolling for Grand View by placing third in the hammer
throw with a GV school record and NAIA ³B´ standard national qualifying mark of 48.52m which
currently ranks her 12th in the nation. Fellow All-American Obsie Birru continued her dominance
on the track winning the 1,500m in an NAIA automatic qualifying time of 4:39.33 which is the
fourth fastest time posted in the NAIA this season. She then came back later in the day to win
the 5,000m run with the leading time in the NAIA posting a 17:10.99 breaking her own school
record. Birru also placed 2nd in the 800m run with a GV school record mark of 2:16.97. Sadie
Fisher made her Grand View debut in the 3,000m steeplechase running a lifetime personal best
while breaking the school record with time a 12:27.43.
The Vikings will be back in action next Saturday at the Cornell Invitational in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
Field events will begin at 10am followed by running events at 11am.



  

 

The Viking men competed against some of the top small college track & field programs in the
Midwest at the Wartburg Select in Waverly on Saturday. Junior captain Tyler Wells had an
outstanding day of competition as he won the shot put hitting an NAIA automatic national
qualifying mark of 16.25m breaking his own school record and currently ranking him fourth in the
nation. He then came back later in the day to place seventh out of 51 competitors in the discus
with a lifetime best and school record toss of 45.23m.

Pete Westerkamp placed third in the decathlon surpassing the NAIA ³B´ standard scoring 5,581
pts., which currently ranks him fourth in the nation. The Viking 4x100m relay team of Titus
Bland, Zach Vos, Toi Jones, and Wes Hammer placed sixth overall in their season debut.

Iowa Central Community College won the men's team title scoring 172 points. Augustana College
(IL) was second with 136 points followed by UW-Whitewater in third with 105 points.

The Vikings will be back in action next Saturday at the Cornell Invitational in Mt. Vernon. Field
events will begin at 10am followed by running events at 11am.


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Two members of the Grand View track & field teams were honored by the MCC Monday. Junior
Obsie Birru was voted as the MCC Women¶s Track Athlete of the Week and Tyler Wells was
tabbed as the MCC Men¶s Field Athlete of the Week.
Birru and Wells were recognized for their performances at the Wartburg Select over the weekend.
Birru won the 1,500m in an NAIA automatic qualifying time of 4:39.33 which is the fourth fastest
time posted in the NAIA this season. She also won the 5,000m in school record breaking time of
17:10.99, which is the fastest time in the NAIA. Birru also placed second in the 800m run with a
GV school record time of 2:16.97.
Wells won the shot put with an NAIA automatic national qualifying mark of 16.25m. He broke his
own school record and currently ranks fourth in the nation. Wells also placed seventh out of 51
competitors in the discus with a lifetime best and school record toss of 45.23m.