Arizona track and field wins six events

By SCARLETT MCCOURT Published February 11, 2013 at 1:14am Updated February 11, 2013 at 1:14am

The Arizona Wildcats track and field team earned victories in six events in split-squad action this weekend.

The No. 10 men’s and No. 13 women’s squads sent athletes to Seattle for the Husky Invitational and to Albuquerque, N.M. for the Don Kirby Open.

On Friday, the victories started with senior hurdler, Georganne Moline, in the 400 meter. Her time of 52.27 was not only a personal best, but broke her previous school record, which she set at the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 26.

Junior sprinter Shapri Romero also competed in the 400 meter, and took fourth with a personal-best time of 53.65. Romero’s victory came in the 200-meter dash where she ran another personal best of 23.65.

“You have to tip your cap to Shapri Romero,” head coach Fred Harvey said in a press release. “She ran a personal best in the 400, the 200 and then ran a great leg in the leadoff of that 4×400.”

The action continued with senior thrower Tyler Johnson, who had a personal-best toss of 6.1-feet-5.75-inches, and placed first in the men’s weight throw.

The UA dominated the women’s shot put competition on both Friday and Saturday. On Friday, senior thrower Julie Labonté placed first with a toss of 56-feet-8.5-inches. Junior thrower Alyssa Hasslen placed second with a personal-best mark of 55-feet-8.5-inches. Sophomore thrower Baillie Gibson placed fourth with a toss of 54-feet-4.75-inches. With a personal-best toss of 52-feet-11-inches, senior thrower Omotayo Talabi followed Gibson in fifth place.

On Saturday, the women throwers swept the competition. With a personal-best mark of 57-feet-4.25-inches, Hasslen placed first. Labonté took second with a mark of 56-feet-3-inches. Gibson followed in third with a 52-feet-2.5-inches.

Freeman also claimed a victory in the women’s weight throw, posting a mark of 63-9.75.

Various personal-best records were set this weekend as well.

Junior sprinter Sean Delfani’s personal-best time of 46.88 in the 400-meter earned him a second place finish overall and first place among collegiate competitors.

“It felt great, especially after two years of coming in and out of injuries,” Delfani said in a press release. “It really made that feeling much sweeter when I finally got that time.”

In Seattle, sophomore distance runner Nicci Corbin, had a personal-best time of 4:40.88 in the women’s mile invite.

Sophomore distance runner Kate Penney also clocked a personal-best of 4:50.57 in the open mile. Also in the open mile, but on the men’s side, sophomore distance runner Sam Macaluso ran a personal-best time of 4:10.54. In the men’s 3,000 meter, sophomore distance runner Kenji Bierig clocked a personal-best of 8:13.82.

“I’m really pleased at the upward trend and where we’re going,” Harvey said in a press release. “A lot of work to go but the team as a whole is really starting to fold into shape heading into the conference championships.”