The Columbia men’s and women’s track teams head into their final meet before the Ivy League Championships at this weekend’s Princeton Elite Invitational. This contest will be the final opportunity for the Lions to get any racing in before they face the rest of the Ancient Eight in New Haven next weekend.

The Light Blue did not compete in the Invitational last year, and its runners can certainly make use of the opportunity to race against the Tigers. At last year’s outdoor track Heptagonal Championships, Princeton took second place on both the men’s and the women’s sides, while the Lions came in fourth for the women’s team and tied for fifth on the men’s team. At this year’s indoor championships, the Tigers managed to nab the Ivy League title for the women’s team.

The distance events will commence Friday, with the steeplechase, 500-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter races. Friday’s schedule will give the Lions an opportunity to demonstrate the strongest part of their team, with runners such as seniors Carmen Ballard, Stephanie Lenihan, and Shelby Leland representing the women’s team and senior Liam Boylan-Pett, freshman Jeff Moriarty, and sophomore Mike Mark holding down the men’s team.

Saturday will see the Light Blue compete in the field events as well as the sprint, mid-distance, and relay races. Princeton undoubtedly has a great deal of depth in these events, but the Lions will certainly be able to do well against the Tigers in the 4x400-meter relays, 800-meter race, and 100-meter hurdles.

Competition begins at 5 p.m. Friday in Princeton and continues until 3 p.m. on Saturday. Next weekend, the Lions will then race in their final league meet of the season, the Heptagonal Championships.