The UMass Lowell women’s outdoor track and field team competed at the MIT Final Qualifier at Steinbrenner Stadium in Cambridge on May 14, where several athletes recorded personal bests.
The event provided an opportunity for athletes to improve their marks after conference competitions. Head Coach Gary Gardner said, “We had an absolutely fabulous day. Coming off of conference, you’d think there might be a let down. Instead, the majority of our kids achieved personal bests. I am really proud of them continuing to improve.”
Sophomore Lauren Long began the meet for UMass Lowell with a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, posting a personal-best time of 11:03.20. In the first round of the 100-meter hurdles, freshman Nyrah Joseph qualified for finals with a time of 15.04 but did not compete in the final round.
Senior Sarah Ross set a new personal record in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:32.36 and finished second out of ten runners representing UMass Lowell in that event.
In other races, senior Raihana Yameogo placed eighth out of twelve competitors in the 800 meters with a mark of 2:15.39 while Lauren Long finished twelfth with a time of 2:23.92. Graduate student Delaney Swanson led her teammates in the concluding track event—the 5,000 meters—by finishing second out of six runners and earning a personal-best time of 17:45.20; junior Emma Eagan took fifth place with a mark of 17:53.20.
Field events saw freshman Zoe Clarke earn seventh place among fourteen throwers with her performance in discus (40.36 meters). Junior Úna Brice was fifth out of six pole vaulters by clearing 3.44 meters.
Freshman Alessandra Forgione broke her own school record in javelin by reaching 46.44 meters on her fifth attempt and won that event among nine competitors.
Graduate student Fleur Balogh de Galantha tied for third place out of twelve high jumpers by clearing a height of 1.61 meters to conclude field competition for UMass Lowell.
