PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Facing some of the nation’s best in one of the premiere events in all of track and field, Eastern Kentucky University sophomore Ole Hesselbjerg rose to the occasion on Thursday night, winning the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase championship heat in a time of 8:47.52 at the Penn Relays at historic Franklin Field.

Hesselbjerg defeated a field of 17 competitors, including runners from the likes of Texas A&M, Indiana and Kentucky. The Charlottenlund, Denmark native’s time is far-and-away the fastest in the Ohio Valley Conference and is currently the eighth-fastest steeplechase time in the country. EKU’s steeplechase record is 8:37.03, set by Hesselbjerg’s teammate, junior Ben Toroitich, at last year’s NCAA East Region Preliminary Championships in Jacksonville, Fla.

Hesselbjerg, however, was not the only Colonel to deliver a strong performance at Franklin Field on Thursday night. Junior Wade Meddles finished third in the men’s 5,000 meters championships with a time of 14:07.38, while sophomore Ann Eason took fourth in the women’s 5,000 meters championship in 16:26.83. Both Meddles and Eason are currently ranked No. 1 in the OVC in the 5,000 meters.

Freshman Viivi Rantanen also ran the 5,000 meters, finishing 13th out of 31 competitors in the women's Olympic Development heat with a personal-best time of 16:59.79.

Sophomore Thijs Nijhuis, meanwhile, recorded an OVC-best in the nightcap, finishing eighth in the men’s 10,000 meters late Thursday night with a personal-best time of 29:42.01. That time also ranks Nijhuis fourth all-time on EKU’s 10,000 meters list.

The EKU track and field team returns to action next weekend at the OVC Outdoor Championships in Charleston, Ill.