Montana State University trackster Elena Carter collected three gold medals and a silver at the Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field meet in Pocatello, while leading the Lady Bobcats to the conference runner-up trophy.
Carter broke two school records and was part of another (based on web site stats at athletic.net, msubobcats.com and tfrrs.org) while capturing titles in the long jump, 100 meter high hurdles, and with the 400 relay unit. She placed second in the 100 dash, as well. The meet's top scorer, with 30 1/2 points, Elena shared the Big Sky Outdoor's Most Valuable Performer with teammate Alex Hallenberg. She is also believed to be the first native Helenan to win three Big Sky championships in the same meet.
In the long jump, Carter garnered the long jump title on Friday, sailing 20-feet-1 1/2, which ranks third on the school's all-time list. Earlier in the season, the Capital High product flew 20-3 at the 'Cat-Griz outdoor dual.
"It feels really good," Carter told msubobcats.com, regarding her performance. "My outdoor long jump has been so much better than indoor, I've been feeling way more consistent and solid. I'm really happy that I was able to show up and do what I wanted to do."
Carter garnered the hurdles title, with a wind-aided time of 13.24 seconds, while eclipsing her own MSU mark of 13.53. It was her second career Big Sky hurdles championship, having won the Indoor Conference 60 hurdles in February. In the 100 dash, her runner-up 11.56 clocking gives her the school's three fastest short sprints, having gone 11.48 at the Bryan Clay Meet in April, and 11.57 during Friday's prelims.
On the winning relay, Elena ran leadoff for teammates Morgan Evans, Morgan Hanson and Macy White, and the quartet got the stick around in 45.47 for another Lady Bobcat record. She was a member of the program's third-fastest 4X100 unit, as well, when they ripped off a 46.37 last year.
Carter rates No. 3 in the D-1 MountainRegion rankings in both the 100 dash and 100 hurdles, as well as eighth in the long jump.
She may also have the unofficial mark for Capital City natives appearing in the most top-10 lists of MSU track, as she ranks No. 9 in the 200 dash, at 25.05, according to athletic.net. Carter rates No. 3 in the D-1 MountainRegion rankings in both the 100 dash and 100 hurdles, as well as eighth in the long jump.
At Capital High, Carter set three school records. Her junior year in 2017, she captured the State long jump title, and was named the IR's Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
The daughter of Lee and Rene' Carter, Elena graduated in psychology and sociology, and will start her masters in school counseling this summer. And although she is a senior, she is eligible for another track season at MSU. The other Carter on the team, sophomore sister Leigha, also ranks in the school's top-10, sitting ninth in the 100 dash with a 12.33.
Another local trackster joining Elena in Fayateville, Arkansas, at Regionals starting May 25, over on the men's side at Montana State, is Helena High grad Derrick Olsen. Olsen holds the MSU records in both the 100 dash (10.49) and 110 hurdles (13.78), but will only be competing in the hurdles at the NCAA D-I West Preliminary Round.
Curt Synness can be reached at 406-594-2878 or curt52synness@gmail.com. He's also on Twitter @curtsynness_IR
