Recent Gunn graduate Sarah Robinson assured herself of two more races at the CIF State Track and Field Championships after winning her preliminary heat in the 1,600 meters on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.
Robinson cruised to her victory in 4:51.87 while recording the third-fastest time in the two heats. Defending state champion Anna Maxwell of San Lorenzo Valley, who edged Robinson at the CCS Championships last week, was the No. 2 qualifier in 4:51.37.
Robinson will run the finals on 1,600, in addition to competing in the finals-only 3,200 on Saturday night.
“Prelims went very well,” said Gunn coach PattiSue Plumer. “Everyone felt pretty good about their performances. Sarah looked great in the 1,600.”
Menlo School graduate Maddy Price, meanwhile, also will be competing on Saturday after winning her heats in the 400 and 200.
Price ran a solid 400 race, holding off the challenge of freshman Autumn Wright of Long Beach Poly at 300 meters and pulling away to win in 54.57. The time was the second-fastest overall with Long Beach Poly freshman Kaelin Roberts leading the way with a fast 53.72. Roberts and Price rank one-two in the state this season.
“It’ll be a tough race versus Roberts, without a doubt,” said Menlo coach Jorge Chen. “But, this time the outcome will be different.”
Roberts defeated Price at the Arcadia Invitational earlier in the season when the two runners race the two fastest times in the nation this season.
Price will be the only senior running in the finals on Saturday.
Price came back a while later to qualify for the 200, advancing after missing out last year. She ran a personal best of 23.97 while winning the second heat with a strong finish. She’ll take a shot at the school record of 23.93 from 1997 on Saturday.
“(She was) very pleased, especially in the 200,” Chen said of Price’s two races. “In the 400, she ran to plan, since we told her not to do anything unusual and just relax and finish smooth.”
In the boys’ 400, Palo Alto senior Nick Sullivan just missed his own school record while advancing to the finals for the first time. Sullivan finished third in his heat in 48.33. He set the school record last year while clocking 48.28 at the Golden West Invitational.
Gunn sophomore Maya Miklos, meanwhile, did set a school record while taking second in her heat and qualifying to the finals in the girls’ 300 hurdles. Miklos ran 42.54 to break her own school mark, taking second after the final hurdle.
A total of 18 local athletes are competing this weekend.
In the girls’ 400 relay prelims, Gunn finished 19th overall in 48.69 while taking sixth in the first heat. The Titans’ team of Amy Chen, Robin Peter, Jenae Pennywell and Miklos needed a time of 47.28 to reach the finals.
CCS champ Los Gatos did reach the finals while running 47.10, the eighth-fastest time overall and No. 8 in CCS history.
Gunn senior Adriana Noronha also needed a personal record to reach the finals in the girls’ discus. But, she didn’t get it as she reached 122-5 — five feet short of her best. She needed a mark of 132-2 to advance to the finals. No CCS athletes advanced.
“She had a very solid series of throws and definitely enjoyed her experience,” Plumer said of Noronha.
In the shot put, Noronha reached 38-1 1/2 while finishing 23rd overall. She needed to hit 42-3 to reach the finals.
Menlo junior Paul Touma leaped 45-4 3/4 in the triple jump to finish 16th overall in the prelims. Touma needed to jump 46-8 to advance to the finals.
In the girls’ pole vault, Menlo-Atherton sophomore Kathryn Mohr cleared 11-3 while tying for 14th. While she did not advance, Stanford recruit Taylore Jaques of Presentation did with a clearance of 11-9.
Palo Alto sophomore Eli Givens, the CCS champ, clocked a wind-legal 10.84 while finishing 18th overall in the boys’ 100. He needed to run 10.68 to reach the finals. No CCS runners reached the finals.
Givens returned in the 200 and clocked 22.24 while finishing 23rd out of 24 runners. He needed to run 21.53 to make the finals.
In the girls’ 100, Gunn’s Pennywell clocked a school record of 12.09 while finishing 16th overall. She needed to run 11.89 to reach the finals.
In the girls’ 1,600 relay, Menlo-Atherton’s team of Miranda Simes, Annie Harrier, Jordan Olesen and Annalisa Crowe finished fifth in its heat in 4:00.38 and did not advance.
In the boys’ 1,600 relay, Palo Alto’s team of Givens, Charlie Badger, Dami Bolarinwa and Sullivan finished seventh in its heat in 3:28.87 and did not advance.
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports