CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In perhaps one of the most successful early-season meets in the past ten years, the Regis Indoor Track and Field Team finished off the semester in stellar form. Competing at the Harvard Invitational, both the men and women performed brilliantly against a variety of New England teams.
Stellar School Records, Huge Qualifying Performances
Kicking off the meet were two new school records in the 60-meter dash. Freshman Cheyenne Genga (South Windsor, Conn.) broke the record previously held by Ana Baker (8.80s) with 8.72s. Not to be outdone, the men shown just as brightly, led by sophomore Ibrahim Alpha (Pennsauken, N.J.) who broke the record set by Yash Shah (8.56s) one year ago with a new time of 7.58s. The speedy sprinter was quickly followed by freshmen Chandler Davies (Hartford, Conn.), Carlos Valencia (East Boston, Mass.), Alex Tran (Lawrence, Mass.), and Genardy Cenat (Waltham, Mass.).
Alpha, Davies, and Genga would double up in the meet, all returning to compete in the 400-meter dash. Davies led the men, finishing with a 52.97s race, and was followed by Ryan Manning (Hanover, Mass.), whose 54.01s run was only a few tenths slower than his all-time personal best. Meanwhile, Genga sped to a new all-time school record in the 400-meter dash with 62.74s, breaking both the indoor and outdoor marks. The previous indoor mark of 63.80s had been held by Wilnie Wesh and stood since 1999. Genga's time not only set a new school record but is a Division III New England Indoor Track and Field Championship qualifying mark. Nipping at her heels, and winning her own heat was fellow freshman Sashae Walls (Everett, Mass.) cruising to a 65.27s, which ranks Walls as the 3rd faster indoor performer in that distance.
Moving up brought the 500-meter dash and freshman Jeremy Israel tackling the distance for the first time. Israel posted a phenomenal performance, notching numerous accolades in the process. His time of 1:06.85min broke the school record set by Adam Heathman (1:08.23min) one year prior, placed Israel 2nd in the meet (out of 35 athletes), and qualified him for the Division III Indoor ECAC Track & Field Championships.
Israel also competed in a 2nd event, shortly thereafter. He was joined by Manning, Cenat, Valencia, and Tran in the 200-meter dash. Israel sprinted to 23.66s in the event, with Manning improving 2 tenths from his performance a week ago (24.33s), and Tran setting a new personal best. For the women in the event, Walls returned, leading the way with a 29.05s race, while Co-captain Katherine Warner broke 30s for the first time with a 29.88s performance. Warner's breakthrough will be a huge contribution to the team's 4x200 meter relay hopes the second half of the year.
Other performances of the meet included Owen McQuaid (Marlborough, Mass.) posting his 2nd school record in as many weeks. His mile is now officially on the books as the school's first male mark for the event, and also came as a 20s personal best for the fast improving freshman. Last, but not least was Paul Gionfriddo (Burlington, Conn.), the team's freshman shot-putter, honing his timing just right to smash his own indoor school record, as is now the all-time school record, surpassing the outdoor mark set by Bobby Ryan. The Connecticut-native posted a mark of 11.87 meters (38' 11"), breaking his previous mark of 10.92meters, winning his flight in the process.
The hard-working squad will re-group and re-charge for the 2nd half of the season, looking to continue their hot streak mid-January.