Distance Runners Ruled the Day for Clarion U. Women’s Track & Field in Richmond

| March 30, 2019


RICHMOND, Va. – Distance runners ruled the roost in the first outdoor event of the spring, as the Clarion track & field team finished off the first day of competition at the Fred Hardy Invitational hosted by Richmond on Friday.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

Action will continue with another slate of events on Saturday.

Though there were PR’s throughout sprints, distance and the field on Friday, it was the long-range squad of Golden Eagles that qualified a bevy of athletes for the PSAC Outdoor Championships. Four athletes in all hit qualifying marks for the conference meet – three in the 3000m Steeplechase and one in the 5000m. In addition, Danielle Gettemy (Triple Jump), Allison Gates (5000m), Gabi Wayne (Shot Put) and Kia Braithwaite (400H) all recorded the best times of their college careers in their respective events.

Competing in the non-Division I heat of the 3000m Steeplechase, Haley Schaller, Morgan Manglaviti and Letizia Collini all hit the PSAC mark in in the event and PR’ed in the process. Schaller was the top finisher for the Golden Eagles, taking fifth with a time of 12:04.07, and was followed by Manglaviti’s 12:23.87. Collini finished just behind her, taking seventh with a time of 12:29.47. All three times marked collegiate bests.

Also qualifying for the conference meet was Anna Foster, who took off for a college PR of 18:44.21 in the 5000m. That time slipped in just under the PSAC standard of 18:45.00 by fractions of a second, guaranteeing that Foster will be in the conference meet at the end of the spring. Gates also PR’ed in the event, coming up just seconds short of the qualifying mark with a time of 18:48.99.

Clarion’s successes on Friday were not limited to PSAC qualifiers, as other athletes also had college-best marks in their respective events. Danielle Gettemy took sixth place in the Triple Jump, leaping 10.30m to rank among the best in the non-DI heat. That topped her previous PR of 10.19m, set last March at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach. Gabi Wayne also notched a PR in the field, tossing the implement 7.87m. Rounding out the PR’s on Friday was Kia Braithwaite, who ran a 1:11.19.

Elsewhere, Katie Brest took 10th in the non-DI heat of the Hammer Throw, notching a throw of 32.47m.


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