Bellingham, WA - For the first time this season, Trojan Track & Field traveled north to compete eventually landing in Bellingham on the campus of Western Washington University for the Ralph Vernacchia Invite. The meet featured a number of four year collegiate programs, as well as track clubs, and hailing from across the pacific northwest, including schools and clubs from Canada. The meet presented high quality competition for the Trojans as they prepare for their final three weeks before the NWAC Championships.
On the women's side three three ladies turned in personal bests, all freshman. Anna Camara improved her discus throw by six feet, three inches and was just shy of eclipsing her PR in the shot put by a foot. Camara has a chance of qualifying for the shot put in the NWAC championships if she can increase her best mark by at least 10 inches. She will two more opportunities to do that in the final meets of the regular season. Alexis Buhman was the other freshman to PR, reaching bests in the 800m and the 1,500m. She ran 2:35.11 in the 800 which moves her up to 16th on the NWAC performance list and at the moment qualifying for the championships, and also PR'd in the 1,500 running 5:11.19 which puts her 9th on the list and in position to vie for a spot on the podium in that event. Jessica Henry PR'd in the 1,500 and the 5,000. Her 5,000 time of 20:49:34 moves her up to 16th on the performance list.
Other notable performances were Emma Arceo who also ran the 800 reaching a season best time of 2:32.19 and moving her up to 12th on the performance list but just 4 seconds away from being inside the top 8. Sophomore Sophia Mackenzie finished 9th in the discus, but was seven feet shorter than her season best which holds her currently at 17th on the performance list. She still holds the 15th best mark in the hammer at 116'10". Denna Gibb finished 6th in the Javelin and was the only Trojan on the women's side to score points. She threw 120'1" but the tough weather conditions made it difficult for her to reach her season best, and she remains the 2nd best mark in the NWAC.
The men scored 10 total points, getting four points from sophomore Khalil Gilbert in the 400m with his 5th place finish at 49.70 and the 4x400m relay team led by Gilbert that finished 3rd overall and setting a new conference leading mark at 3:27.41. Gilbert currently holds the 3rd fastest 400m time at 49.22 which was accomplished back on April 12th. Gilbert also finished 10th overall in the 200m and holds the 12th fastest NWAC time. Sprinter Jack Mehl finished 14th overall in the 100 and fellow freshman Liam Naicker finished just behind Gilbert in the 200m, running 22.98 and placing 11th. Freshman Robert Lane finished 14th overall in the 400m and set a new PR of 54.47. Two other freshman, Eugene Kimutai and Tom Sawyer also PR'd in the 1,500 running 4:28.90 and 4:50.51 respectively. Brandon Bruss threw in three events, the shot, discus, and hammer of which he PR'd at 116'6" and moves him up to 20th on the performance list. Bruss will have two more meets to increase his best mark by at least eleven feet to have a chance at qualifying for the NWAC championships in the hammer.
The Trojans' next meet will be on Saturday, May 4th at Linfield College.