Bates College

Junior Elena Jay broke the record for the 3,000-meter run at the Maine State Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday helping the Bobcats claim their first state title since 1980 and earning Bobcat of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 3-9.

A native of West Hartford, Conn., Jay won with a time of 10:03.95 surpassing the mark of Joann Choiniere of the University of Maine who ran a 10:13.83 at the 1983 edition of the event. Jay finished more than 16 seconds ahead of runner-up Lucy Skinner of Bowdoin who ran a 10:20.36. Jay’s time marked the 13^th fastest time for Division III this winter.

Jay’s event victory helped Bates take first as a team as the Bobcats scored 205.5 points ahead of Bowdoin (195.5), Colby (183.5), Southern Maine (111), Husson (10.5), and St. Joseph’s College of Maine (6).

The state championships stood as Jay’s last event of the season as she embarks on a study abroad program in Chile, but her teammates will next compete at the Tufts Invitational on Saturday.