Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Video of Princeton's Winning 4xMile at Penn Relays
May 02, 2011 | Men's Track and Field
Flotrack interviews the 4xMile
Recap
The Princeton men's track team 4xMile is the Penn Relays Champion!
The relay team of Mark Amirault, Chris Bendtsen, Donn Cabral and Kyle Soloff
brought Old Nassau its first championship since 1931.
"I'm super proud of the guys," distance coach Steven Dolan said. "It was a really great effort for us today. We've been building. We've had some good runs in the past years in the 4xmile and DMR and ended up 5th or 6th. We always go home saying 'we can do this guys'. We've dreamed about it all year. This is a great team. On paper we didn't have the fastest times, but we have 4 great competitors, and it's who wins on that day and you have to be a great competitor. Every single guy competed with their heart and we did well with this group, I'm really proud of them."
Indiana took the lead from the start, but Villanova would lead the chase pack along with Navy and Arkansas. Halfway through the race Indiana remained in front with Villanova and Princeton close behind. The final pass, around 12:15, Indiana was in front but now Princeton was joined by Arkansas. Mark Amirault of Princeton and Arkansas final leg pushed in the final 1,000 meters to catch Indiana but it was Amirault that outkicked Arkansas for the win. Donn Cabral ran the fastest leg for Princeton, the second leg, in a time of 4:02. Equally impressive, Chris Bendtsen was a fill in the race and was told by Coach Dolan to 'go out there and hang in'.
Post Race Quotes
Steve Dolan
Coach - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"I'm super proud of the guys. It was a really great effort for us today. We've been building. We've had some good runs in the past years in the 4xmile and DMR and ended up 5th or 6th. We always go home saying 'we can do this guys'. We've dreamed about it all year. This is a great team. On paper we didn't have the fastest times, but we have 4 great competitors, and it's who wins on that day and you have to be a great competitor. Every single guy competed with their heart and we did well with this group, I'm really proud of them."
Chris Bendtsen
1st Leg - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"The crowd is really like nothing else. The competition is great too, and we really wanted the wheel. To win this is amazing. "
Donn Cabral
2nd Leg - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"I ran here last year, but really that can't compare with racing here on the big day, especially with these guys. It meant so much more, and really is the biggest and best meet I've ever competed in. "
Chris Bendtsen
1st Leg - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"I was a fill-in. We have a few other great milers on the team. Both 4 flat milers, so I was just kind of filling in for them. It's the most nervous I've ever been in a race. Coach told me to go out there and just hang on. We knew it would be a kickers race. It couldn't have gone better for me. It felt really great to perform for the guys and hand off in 2nd."
Donn Cabral
2nd Leg - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"He [Chris] handed off to me in 2nd. I've had some mediocre results the past few weeks. When the guys around me took off a little bit harder than I wanted to, I just went at the pace that I knew I could hold - around 60 or 61. I had a good surge the last 400 and just took off."
Mark Amirault
Anchor - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"These guys did great. It fell right into my hands. The Arkansas guy did all the work, getting us back to the front of the race. Towards the end he was kind of looking at me to see when I was going to go. Coach always says the guy to go last usually wins, so I was waiting on them. When I went it looked like he didn't have anything left. I was really happy."
Kyle Soloff
3rd Leg - Princeton
CM 4xMile Championship
"I got the baton from Donn in 3rd. I was about 5 meters back, right behind the Nova guy."
Donn Cabral
2nd Leg - Princeton
Cm 4xMile Championship
"Last year I was really bummed to be kept out of the 4xmile and this year I got my wish. Maybe next year we can put them both together." (in reference to his individual steeplechase win last year)
Mark Amirault
Anchor - Princeton
Cm 4xMile Championship
"I think this relay is really a testament to our depth. There were a few other guys that we could have had in it. We had 4 flat or 4:01 milers and we brought in some of the guys you wouldn't expect, but they really performed, and I think it speaks to really good coaching."