Over the weekend the men’s and women’s track and field teams placed high at the Metropolitan Championships held at the 169th Armory in Manhattan.
Out of the 16 teams who competed, the women’s team placed fifth overall with 59.50 points while the men placed sixth with 57 points.
The teams earned a combined 16 top-five finishes to go along with 17 in the top 10.
The women’s team owed much of its success to its excellent showings in the field events.
This was highlighted by Alina Abramova, who had an overall strong meet.
Abramova finished first in the triple jump with a leap of 12.16m.
She also posted a second place finish in the pentathlon (3372 points) and finished fifth in the long jump (5.61m).
“Alina came up big for us in the triple jump and carried the multi-event (pentathlon) and jumped well in the long jump, all of which is a very difficult thing to do,” St. John’s Head Coach Jim Hurt said. “Her experience, talent and competitiveness really set the tone.”
The Johnnies faired well in the women’s weight throw, posting four top-10 finishes led by Brandy Bradford (15.30m), Blessing Egwu (14.77m) and TeTee Kuyateh (14.51m).
The trio would place second, fourth and fifth.
Back on the track the women’s best showing came from sophomore Charlene Sealy.
She clocked a time of 1:15.74 and finished third in the 500 meters.
Sealy was also part of the third place women’s 4×400 relay team (3:52.53) anchored by Shernette Hyatt-Davis, a recent transfer from Nassau Community College.
While the women racked up their points in the field events, the men looked to the track to earn theirs.
Junior Mohammed Kanu ran exceptionally well, placing second in the 400 meters with a time of 48.64 and fourth in the 200 meters (22.05).
Kanu would also be a part of the 4×400 relay team that finished first (3:14.33) and included Ben Catalano, Phil McLean and Dewayne Barrett as the anchor.
“It was nice to finish the meet off with a win in the mile relay and it was a three-second improvement on our best time. Those guys are really starting to get a rhythm going,” Hurt said about his relay team.
Also, the 4×800 meter relay team, which finished fifth (7:51.01) and ran the fastest time they have run this year, was highlighted by anchor leg Pete Alfano.
Alfano ran a personal best time of 1:57.0.
Members of that relay team also fared well individually. The Red Storm’s Andy Mitchell placed third in the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.57.
Junior Marc Crosswell finished fifth in the mile, clocking a time of 4:22.13,
“We asked him to do a lot for us. He ran the mile then came back and ran the 1,000 and then ran the 4×800,” Hurt said. “While he didn’t do as well as he would’ve liked in the 1,000, he came back and helped win a relay which was important since they ran their fastest time this year.”
The men’s team would also fair well in the field events, as Dietrech Washington placed third in the pentathlon with 3,548 points.
The Johnnies’ Jamiel Hendricks and Jason Goulart both posted fourth place finishes.
Hendricks leaped to a long jump of 6.67m while Goulart’s weight toss traveled 17.27m.
Up next for the Red Storm is the Millrose Games on Feb. 7 at the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden.
