THE FLATS – Georgia Tech track and field closed out the regular indoor season Saturday with action at three different meets – the Tiger Paw Invitational, the Music City Challenge and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
Tiger Paw Invitational:
Saturday morning action started with the field events, with Maggie Gizinski participated in the women’s shot put (22nd – 10.31m). Carla Du Plessis tied for 11th in the women’s high jump (1.61m), while John Watkins finished ninth in the men’s triple jump (15.18m). In the women’s high jump invitational, Kendall Ward finished eighth (1.74m).
Adora Tagbo finished 27th in the women’s triple jump (11.65m), while Omar Arnaout finished 22nd in the high jump (1.96m).
Running events started with the 800m, where Kayla Rose was the top finisher for Tech in 34th, running a season best 2:16.75. She was joined in the event by McKenzie Blackledge (36th – 2:18.37) and Ella Grace Malcom (41st – 2:22.87).
In the men’s 800m, five Yellow Jackets entered the event, with Alex Thomas leading the pack with an 11th place finish (1:50.69). Parker Buchheit was close behind in 14th place (1:51.25), followed by Chris Cherono (26th – 1:53.46), Ethan Kurilko (35th – 1:56.06) and Willem Mandel (36th – 1:56.26).
Sophia Richard finished 31st in the orange heat of the 200m (24.70), while Jade Ofotan ran in the purple heat and finished 30th (24.32).
Bella Turner led the way in the women’s 3000m, taking seventh place with a personal best 9:53.41. Ella Bailey was close behind in 12th place, clocking a 10:27.70. Zoe Garcia finished 14th place (10:33.88), while Ashley Sechrest was in 15th (10:35.25).
In the women’s 4x400m relay, the team of Sarah Noel, Kimmi Woods, Jill Catton and McKenzie Blackledge ran a 3:55.10.
Two relay teams entered the men’s 4×400 relay, with the team of Caden Terrell, Parker Buchheit, Weston Baptiste and Winston DeCuir III ran a 3:11.97, for 20th place.
David Hemery Valentine Invitational:
Three entered the women’s mile at day two of the David Hemery Valentine Invitational, with Lottie Chappell leading the way for Tech, coming in 71st out of 276 finishers, with a time of 4:47.97. Sarah Copeland finished in 98th (4:52.80), with Gracie Marston in 100th (4:52.99).
Mary Brady led the way for Tech in the women’s 3000m, coming in 36th (9:12.09) out of 253 finishers. Grace Driskill finished 66th (9:22.21) while Katy Earwood in 91st (9:30.41).
Music City Challenge:
Action in Nashville started with the unseeded 3000m, where Hannah Schemmel claimed third place, clocking a 9:54.68. Ellie Moritz was the next finisher, coming in 21st with a time of 10:13.37. Katherine Byrne (34th – 10:33.65) and Sophie Boice (35th – 10:36.25) were the next two to finish, with Hilla Azran (40th – 10:50.78) the fifth Yellow Jacket in the event.
Matt Castronuovo led the way in the men’s unseeded 3000m, coming in ninth place (8:28.43). Tristan Autry was the next finisher, recording a 17th-place finish with a time of 8:35.30. He is followed by Jean–Lou Pare in 22nd (8:37.11).
Three entered in the women’s unseeded 800m, with Reagan Mahoney the highest finisher for Tech, coming in 24th (2:17.89). She is followed by Macy Felton (26th – 2:18.34) and Stella Chambless (44th – 2:21.88). John Jessup was the lone entry in the men’s 800, coming in 36th with a time of 1:56.98.
Kamren Kennedy ran in the seeded men’s 800m, coming in eighth place with a time of 1:49.94.
In the seeded men’s 3000m, Taylor Wade finished in eighth place with a time of 8:16.59, with Ethan Curnow in 14th (8:21.01).
Tech now turns it attention to the indoor postseason, as they gear up for ACC Indoor Championships, March 1-3.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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