The Tritons had several break-out performances that day, with senior Jackie Rose again leading the way as she set a personal best time, 24.52 seconds. The mark is good for an NCAA provisional mark in the 200m dash to go along with her 400m automatic mark, good enough for sixth place. UCSD alumnus Kelly Fogarty won the overall event in the 200m, who recorded a 24.02 seconds to beat out elite athlete Adrienne Power, who ran a 24.03 second time.
UCSD freshman Sabrina Pimentel also had a stellar day on the track, running a personal best of 2:12.96s in the 800m, half a second faster than her previous best and good enough for first in her heat and second overall. The standout freshman went on to run a strong 57-second split in her 400m leg. The anchor leg for the Triton “A” team for the day was senior Deyna Roberson, who split a 56 second lap on her 400m run to give the women second overall in the event, a strong showing despite resting Rose, who ran for the “B” team.
“It was really great to be able to lead on the 200m, so that I was able to open up my sprint more,” Rose said. “And it feels good to feel the speed I needed in the 400m while running the 200m. Getting a pro mark was an added bonus.”
Roberson shone with a new season best in the 400m hurdles as well, posting a 1:02.18 that provisionally qualifies her for NCAA Division II Nationals.
On the men’s side, freshman Keith Rose—younger brother of Jackie Rose—salvaged an otherwise lackluster day for the men, recording a 10.86s time in the 100m, good enough to move him up from fifth to fourth all time as he continues to climb the UCSD ranks.
“I really wanted to win my heat and get an orange t-shirt,” Keith said. “But I really want that school record [in the 100m dash]. I’ll only be happy when something three-tenths of a second quicker scrolls across that screen.”
Junior Aletha Vassilakis hit a new personal best in the Javelin throw of 124’3”, good enough for No. 10 on the UCSD all-time list.
The best part of the meet was watching the U.S. Paralympians. Jeremy Campbell, who has no lower left leg and uses a special prosthetic, threw a new American Record at 190’7” to take third overall in not just the Paralympic Discus, but the overall competition. The mark would be good enough to make the Olympic Trials in the non-paralympic games.
Blake Leeper, a blind athlete, ran in the 200m dash along with his seeing compatriot. The two runners are tethered together with a bungee at the wrists and the seeing partner guides the blind athlete through touch and verbal commands. His time of 22.43s was good enough for 21st overall in a field of over 80 seeing athletes.
The Tritons go to the Soka Peace Invitational this weekend, April 20-21, at Soka University. Events start with the hammer throw on Friday at 10 a.m.
