SPORTS BRIEF: Hutchison Places in Top 30 at Yesterday’s Mayor’s Cup 5K

Senior Thomas Hutchison earned a top-30 finish in the Mayor’s Cup 5K yesterday morning, competing in a field of about 150 runners on the Franklin Park course in Boston.

Hutchison, who is also a Crimson sports editor, raced in his first event since his sophomore year and crossed the finish line with a time of 17:20.

In his last race for Harvard, Hutchison placed third among Crimson runners and 102nd overall in the UAlbany Invitational in 2008. He is a native of Corona Del Mar, Calif.

“In his four years at Harvard, he’s battled injuries, been an incredibly hard worker, and stuck with it through all the adversity,” Crimson coach Jason Saretsky said. “It was great to be able to see him get out there and compete.”

The Mayor’s Cup, which is sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association, is one of the most competitive open events in the Northeast.

It encompasses a full morning slate of events, including everything from kids’ 1.1-mile races to a men’s championship 8K.

With the result, Hutchinson hopes to make a bid into Harvard’s lineup for the Heptagonal Championships this Friday.

The Crimson men’s team is coming off of a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Pre-National meet and will look for a big showing against the other Ivy League squads at Heps this weekend.

The men’s squad was sixth at Heps last year, propelled by the first-place finish of captain Dan Chenoweth.

Columbia took the Ancient Eight title at the event last fall, while Princeton placed second.

—STEPHANIE E. HERWATT