 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | 38th Hartford Public Invitational
Sat., May 9, 2009
Irv Black Track, Veterans Stadium, Willowbrook Park, New Britain CT
DyeStat Metro onsite with John Nepolitan |
Springer and Predmore post US #1's Guider gets state record
by John Nepolitan
There was little question who the stars were at the Hartford Public Schools Invitational. Andrew Springer (Westerly, RI), Daundre Barnaby (Weaver, CT), Michelle Quimby (Shenendehowa, NY), Lizzie Predmore (Shenendehowa, NY), Cas Loxsom (Wilbur Cross, CT) and Robert Guider (Danbury, CT), each either set a new record or posted a performance high on the national list.
 Andrew Springer started his long day with the only time during the day he did not cross the line first. Getting the baton in 3rd for the anchor leg of the 4 x 800, Springer (photo left by John Nepolitan) would split 1:55, but would not be able to make a dent in the lead Hamden(CT) had. Hamden would go on to win in 7:52.19 and Westerly would cross in 3rd. Next up for Springer would be the mile, from the gun it was clear that it was in the plans to post a fast time as Westerly’s Tim O'Loughlin would jump to the lead and push the pace through the 800 (2:02.7) before stepping off to leave Springer alone in the front. The Georgetown bound runner would push hard, but the 4 x 800 and the 4:03 split from Thursday evening at the Loucks Games looked to be having an effect. Still Springer would push on and cross the line in 4:08.79 a new meet record and a US #3. Behind the leader Nick Ross (East Greenwich, RI) would do all he could to stay with the leader, but would faulter and in the end get run down by Johnny Gregorek (Seekonk, Ma) for 2nd . As the meet started to come to an close Springer would step out onto the track one last time for the 2 mile. Jumping right to the lead Spinger would push the pace himself and only have Francis Hernandez(Bishop Guertin, NH) for company before pulling away for a 9:09.14 win and a new US #1
Not long after Springer dazzled the crowd with his mile record, the fans were called to turn their attention to the track for one of Connecticut’s best. Duandre Barnaby (Weaver, CT) was about to get into the blocks for the 400. With the sun now out after early morning showers and the wind settling Barnaby (photo right by John Nepolitan) blasted from the blocks and by 100 meters had made up the stagger on the runner 2 lanes outside him. Powering all the way though the line, Barnaby stopped the clock at a new meet record of 46.35. Later in the day the Weaver senior would return to the track and drop down to the 200 to face 100 meter winner Kamal Riley (Charlestown, Ma) and John Thomas (Sheepshead Bay, NY). Thomas would hold the lead until the last 15 meters when Barnaby would power past winning in 21.81-22.01.
 When the meet opened up it looked like it would be an day of on and off rain, but as soon as the action started the clouds began to clear out. Michelle Quimby (Shenendehowa, NY) had to deal with the conditions in her first event of the day, the high jump. The Shenendehowa senior would clear 5’ 4” to claim her first title of the day. It was then onto the other side of the Irv Black Track to the pole vault pit and another win. Quimby (photo left by John Nepolitan) would clear 12’ 1” to win by 13” and set a new meet record. At the end the day her team mate Lizzie Predmore (Shenendehowa, NY) would take the 2 mile in a US #1 time of 10:44.72.
In early April Cas Loxsom (Wilbur Cross, CT) traveled out to California for the Arcadia Invitational looking to take a run at the state 800 meter record. Loxsom would run away from the field in California, but be rewarded with a US #1 for his efforts. One month later and little changed in Loxsom’s race plan of getting to the front early and pressing the pace. Passing through the 400 in 53 and 600 meter points in 1:21 – very close to what he did at Arcadia. In April Loxsom would close in 30 seconds, today he would run the last 200 meters 1 second faster and post a new meet record and at the time a US #2 (later in the day Elijan Greer (OR) would post a new US #1) 1:50.45 – a step closer to the state mark. Loxsom will next take a run at the record at the Danbury Dream Invite on May 23rd and then the CT Open meet and the NON. Another month can he get that 1 more second he needs for the state mark. Loxsom would later return at the end of the day and bring his Wilbur Cross team from 3rd to 1st with a 1:53 split to take the Sprint Medley Relay crown.
Robert Guider (Danbury, CT) had to wait till most of the meet was over to take his shot at a state record, but the wait would be worth it as Guider would add 1 foot to the state hammer mark with a 2nd place finish reaching 204’ 8”.
Meet notes: Joe Mullen (Portland, CT) and Luke Hadden (U-32, VT) would tie for the win in the javelin as each threw 181’ 11”, but Mullen would get the win based on his 181’ 5” 2nd best throw….On Friday Mike Levine (Commack, NY) took the discus at the Loucks Games in New York he then made the drive up Route 84 and claimed the discus in Hartford as well….One athlete who has a chance to be a four time winner of an event is Adrienne Alexander. The Bishop Loughlin (NY) 9th grader, who also placed 3rd in the Penn Relays this spring, took the shot put with a 44’ 7.5”….Footlocker finalist Emily Jones (Bromfield, Ma) added a mile title to the 2 mile crown she won last year. Jones just cranked out laps right at 5:00 pace before stopping the clock at 4:58.59….The girls seeded section of the 800 would crawl until Annelies Gamble (Amity, CT) would hit the front with 300 to go. Gamble would win the section in 2:17.80. Tori Pisco (Naugatuck, CT) would see the clock coming up the last 100 of the 2nd section and think it said 2:20, but when she realized it was just turning to 2:10 she shifted one more time and dipped at the line to earn the overall win with a 2:17.55
 
Cas Loxsom (Wilbur Cross, CT) and Lizzie Predmore (Shenendehowa, NY) ( photos by John Nepolitan)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
