ANDERSON, S.C. – The Newberry College outdoor track and field teams picked up where they left off during the indoor season, having a successful first outing of the outdoor season over the weekend at the Trojan Opener.
Jase Hunter (McDonough, Ga.),
Sarah Abumere (Waynesboro, Ga.) and
Kalyn Cook (Lexington, S.C.) all broke Newberry records throughout the two-day affair.
"We had a lot of school records and personal bests, which is a really good sign of where we are headed," said
Mashario Morton, Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach at Newberry College.
Hunter's 54.28-meter hammer throw (178 feet, 1 inch) bested the competition by nearly 13 feet for a first-place result, and the aforementioned Newberry record. Hunter also earned a podium finish in the discus throw, placing third – one spot behind freshman
Zach Counts (Summerville, S.C.) whose throw of 43.61 meters earned him second place.
On the women's side for the throwers,
Andrea Pascual-Rivera's (Tarragona, Spain) 47.28-meter hammer throw (155 feet, 1 inch) dominated the field by over nine feet for a first-place finish.
"Great start to our outdoor season with some rough conditions on Friday," Director of Track and Field/Cross Country
Jimmy Stephens said, alluding to the rain and wind in Anderson.
"Very proud that our crew has kept the momentum we started in indoor!" Stephens said.
Abumere ran the 200-meter dash in 24.88 seconds for a personal- and school-best to earn second place in the event. Senior
Kalyn Cook had a similarly special day, as he eclipsed the Newberry records in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
His 200-meter time of 21.51 seconds was good for second, and his 100-meter time of 10.6 seconds placed him fourth.
"We still have some cleaning up to do, but overall I was happy with our performance this weekend and am looking forward to where we are going to be as we get deeper into the season," Coach Morton said.
The men's and women's outdoor track and field teams continue their season this Friday and Saturday (March 24 and 25) at the Weems Baskin Invitational in Columbia, South Carolina.
