HPU TRACK: Panthers Complete Liberty Kickoff

*** both men’s and women’s recaps included ***

Men’s Track & Field: Romero & Panther Multis Have Record-Setting Second Day

Final Results

LYNCHBURG, Va. – With three of the top-five athletes in the Liberty Kickoff heptathlon hailing from High Point University through day one, the Panther multis entered Saturday with a wealth of confidence that led to a record-setting performance from all. Junior Pablo Romero finished first in the heptathlon, setting a new program record at 5,222 points. Teammates Gabriel Stainback and Brad Kanney would not be far behind however, finishing third (4,812) and fourth (4,108) respectively, with a pair of their own personal records.

“Yeah Pablo had a very good weekend, he was very consistent with near PRs across the board,” said Head Coach Mike Esposito. “You could really see [that record] coming for him.”

“It definitely makes coaching fun,” said Esposito, in response to the high number of personal records his team has set this year. “That’s the nature of our sport, if things are going well and they’re healthy and they’re doing the right things then you get those [PRs]…There were a whole lot of positives on both sides.”

Day two of the heptathlon started with the hurdles event, where Romero recorded a victory at 8.55. Kanny would finish fifth while hitting a career-best at 9.62, while John Singleton did the same at 10.11.

The Panthers’ three leading multi-athletes all excelled in the pole vault, with Romero once again recording an event win, tying his own personal record of 4.55m. Stainback came in third with his clearance of 3.85m, while Kanney’s 3.35m gave the senior a new personal best.

Well ahead of the competition in the point standings, Romero entered the final event of the weekend, carrying 4,416. Needing just a 2:50.00 in the 1000m to secure a new program record, the Spaniard crossed the finish line in 2:46.18 to complete his heptathlon at 5,222. Romero’s new school record beats the previous by 44, overcoming the mark that he set himself just last year at the Big South Indoor Championship inside Liberty Indoor Track Complex.

While the Panthers completed their heptathlon day two, HPU throwers Josh Brown and Britton Mann made their way to the circle for the men’s weight toss. Brown turned in a personal best that beat his previous by nearly half of a meter (11.44m), while Mann tossed a 14.11m on the day.

Daniel Bogle and Hocine Bouchrak each garnered third place finishes in the long jump and one mile respectively, with the former coming just two centimeters short of a seven-meter leap. Max Shirikjian and Jake Dunn each finished off the afternoon with a pair of PRs, with Shirikjian tying his 6.18m in the long jump and Dunn posting a 1:08.26 in the 500m.

COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers return home to compete in the Camel City Invite in Winston-Salem, N.C. next weekend. This will be the second meet HPU partakes in at JDL Fast Track in the current indoor season, after setting a pair of meet records in Early Bird Duals back in December.

Top Performers
Heptathlon
1. Pablo Romero (5,222) – PR/SR
3. Gabriel Stainback (4,812) – PR
4. Brad Kanney (4,108) – PR

Hept. Hurdles
1. Pablo Romero (8.55)
5. Brad Kanney (9.62) – PR
9. John Singleton (10.11( PR

Hept. Pole Vault
1. Pablo Romero (4.55m) – tied PR
3. Gabriel Stainback (3.85m)
5. Brad Kanney (3.35m) – PR

Hept. 1000m
2. Pablo Romero (2:46.18)

Weight Throw
Josh Brown (11.44m) – PR

Long Jump
T3. Daniel Bogle (6.98m)
Max Shirikjian (6.18m) – tied PR

Mile
3. Hocine Bouchrak (4:11.55)

500m
16. Jake Dunn (1:08.26) – PR

1000m
2. Hocine Bouchrack 2:28.03
4. Siro Pina Cardona 2:29.54

200m
16. Paul Gore (22.14) – PR


women’s Track & Field: Bolden Turns In A Pair Of Panther Bests At Liberty

Final Results

LYNCHBURG, Va. – With High Point University women’s track setting seven new personal records on day two of the Liberty Kickoff, the Panthers were led by freshman Leah Bolden collecting two of the best times in the Big South on the short track.

“It definitely makes coaching fun,” said Esposito, in response to the high number of personal records his team has set this year. “That’s the nature of our sport, if things are going well and they’re healthy and they’re doing the right things then you get those [PRs]…There were a whole lot of positives on both sides.”

Bolden has been HPU’s top athlete in the sprints since the start of the indoor season, as the first-year Panther continued to shave time off her team-leading pace in Lynchburg this Saturday. Opening her day with the 60m, Bolden crossed the finish line in 7.68 on the afternoon to come in second overall, before setting another PR in the 200m at 25.25. Bolden’s 60m and 200m finishes rank sixth and fourth in the Big South respectively, and are both Panther bests for the current campaign.

Fellow freshman Nyile Facey had a pair of her own personal bests on the day, finishing her own 200m in 26.44 and tying her standing hurdle PR at 9.13. Taylor Arthur completed the trio of freshman track performances, beating her previous best in the 400m by a full second at 59.12.

In the distance events, Franzi Jakobs and Charis Dinger both had career days, with the former competing in the mile. Jakobs came in sixth among the field at 5:06.20 while beating her previous best by four seconds. Dinger bested her own 3000m time by nearly eight seconds, coming in to finish at 10:56.81.

Top Performers
60m
2. Leah Bolden (7.68) – PR

200m
5. Leah Bolden (25.25) – PR
Nyile Facey (26.44) – PR

Mile
6. Franzi Jakobs (5:06.20) – PR

60m Hurdles
9. Nyile Facey (9.13) – ties PR

400m
14. Taylor Arthur (59.12) – PR

3000m
24. Charis Dinger (10:56.81) – PR