Indoor Track Concludes Day One At Conference Championships

Day One Results

NEW YORK – Day one at the America East Indoor Championships is in the books at the University at Albany indoor track and field holds the top spot on the men’s side and shares the top spot with Vermont in the women’s standings.  Entering the second and final day of competition, the men will have 55 points, while the women will have 45.

“We had a good first day,” said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Roberto Vives.  “Our athletes are performing well.  We’ve had a lot of personal bests, and a lot of people qualify for finals, so we’re all set for tomorrow.”

Jillian Haynes, Kahlia Taylor, and Ashlee Maduro each qualified for finals in the 60, running 7.64, 7.65, and 7.68 respectively.  Haynes and Taylor also qualified for finals in the 200, running 24.53 and 24.78.  They will be joined in finals by Michelle Anthony, who qualified in 25.20, and Aiyanna James, who qualified in 25.32.  Aderinsola Ajala qualified first overall in the 400 with a time of 56.42.  Also qualifying in the 400 was Kamilah Williams with a 57.67.  Rounding out the sprint events, Tynelle Taylor-Chase and Dominique Claudio qualified for finals in the 500 with times of 1:14.31 and 1:16.15 respectively.

Silvia Del Fava dominated the 5,000, running 16:44.35 to claim victory in the event by 26 seconds.  Valentina Talevi placed fifth overall with a personal best time of 17:17.89, improving her old mark by 22 seconds.  In the 60 hurdles, Anthony qualified for finals first overall with a time if 8.68.  Taylor-Chase qualified third with an 8.79.  CiCi Somon qualified fifth with a 9.01.

UAlbany’s distance medley relay took second place overall behind New Hampshire with a time of 11:44.79.  Kathryn Fanning anchored the relay team, running the 1600 leg in 4:47.

Moving to the field events, ToniAnn Werner placed seventh in the pole vault with a jump of 10’-4”.  James claimed victory by an inch and a half in the long jump with a mark of 18’-5.75”.  Michelle McCrae placed seventh in the long jump with a mark of 17’-4.75”.  In the weight throw, Lauren Lopano placed third with a throw of 51’-9.25”, and Janice Johnson placed sixth with a throw of 50’-3.5”.  Both throws were personal bests.

On the men’s side, UAlbany qualified three athletes to the finals of the 60.  Robert Harris III qualified first overall with a 6.91.  Kareem Morris qualified fourth with a 6.93.  Donald Williams qualified fifth, also with a 6.93.  Morris, Harris III, and Williams doubled up in the 200, with Morris qualifying first in 21.86 Harris III qualifying eighth in 22.45, and Williams qualifying in the ninth and final spot in 22.53.  They were joined by Jaymen Teemer qualifying third in 21.95, and Taariq Jones qualifying sixth in 22.26.  Jones doubled up in the 400, qualifying third in 49.05.  Jason Tomlinson took the second place qualifying spot in the 400 at 48.90.  Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong qualified seventh with a 49.54.  Larry Ramirez was UAlbany’s only qualifier in the 500, claiming the second spot in 1:04.30.

Alfonso Scannapieco took the final qualifying spot in the 60 hurldes in 8.65, and will the UAlbany’s sole representative in the finals.  Christopher Buchanan placed third overall in the 5,000 with a time of 14:53.05.  Like the women’s team, the men’s distance medley relay placed second overall in 9:55.46, just behind Binghamton’s winning time of 9:53.27.  John DeLallo split 1:50 for the 800 leg, and handed off to Youness Benzaid who split a personal best 4:09 for the anchor 1600 leg.

Scannapieco won the pole vault with a mark of 17’-0.75”.  Nathan Hiett placed second overall, jumping 16’-2.75”, achieving the goal the pair had of going 1-2 at championships.  Youssef Benzamia won the long jump with a new championship record of 24’-6.25”.  The mark is also a personal best for Benzamia by one centimeter.  Scannapieco took second with a mark of 23’-1.25”.  Morris rounded out UAlbany scoreres with a fourth place effort of 22′-8.5″.

Day two begins Monday at 10:30 a.m. with the heptathlon hurdles.  Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. before the remaining finals begin, starting with the women’s mile at 11:55, where Fanning is defending champion.