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On Friday, April 13, the Saint Leo men’s and women’s track team travelled to Gainesville, FL to compete in the Tom Jones Memorial hosted by the University of Florida. This event attracted many NCAA Division I teams from around the nation, but it wasn’t only college teams, multiple Olympians showed their class and experience in front of the crowd. Olympic and world champion LaShawn Merritt competed in the 200m, running a time of 20.36. On a hot humid day, the Lions came away with some great results as we come close to the end of the season.
The Lions started off the day with Niclas Bez and Anthony Deleva competing in the 1500m. The first heat showed its class with a hot pace set by the front pack with Bez hanging onto the back. Bez finished the race in a time of 4.00.29, almost 10 seconds slower than his personal best which was set three weeks ago at the Florida Relays. Two hours later Bez lined up for the 800m, where he completed the two-lap race in a time of 1.58.50 for 25thplace. Anthony Deleva started off in the second heat of the 1500m, completing the race in a time of 4.06.85, which was six seconds off his personal best of 4.00.76 set last year.
On the women’s side, Lauren Cbusak went in the third heat of the 800m. With a quick first lap she held her form, finishing strong on the last lap to come through the line in a time of 2.18.54, which is two seconds slower than her personal best set at the University of South Florida two weeks ago.
Next up for the women was Alyssa Bayliff and Laura Tobin as they lined up for the women’s 3000m. Bayliff ran a very good race coming home in second place with a time of 10.14.52. Irish native, Laura Tobin completed the race in a time of 10.32.03, good enough for sixth place overall.
Graduate student, Colett Rampf was a clear winner in the 3000m steeplechase, winning by a big margin. Rampf completed the race in a time of 10.34.39 winning by nearly 30 seconds ahead of second place.
Freshman Tadgh McGinty and graduate student Joshua Sickinger competed in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. McGinty came through the line in fourth place with a time of 9.36.82, which is one second off his personal best set at the University of Central Florida Black and Gold Challenge. Sickinger finished seventh place in a time of 9.51.71. This time was 21 seconds slower than his personal best set last year at the University of Southern Florida track meet.
Up Next: The Lions will travel to Hillsdale, Michigan April 26 to compete in better, cooler conditions to try and run personal bests and possibly national standards.
