First off, we’d like to wish all of you a Happy New Year. When we say all of you we’re, of course, referring to the athletes, the coaches, the families and friends, and all those that support track & field and cross country in Rhode Island and us here at Ocean State Running. We’ll admit it. you are our lifeline. You are the reason there we are out there grinding away and trying to provide the best coverage we can of these great sports. With the new year beginning, let’s all make it a point to do our best to reach those goals and carry out those resolutions we set forth when the calendar turned to 2024. No excuses, right?
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If you haven’t done so already, we have the perfect way to kick off the new year and perhaps attain a new PR or national qualifier. Registration is still open for our inaugural Marathon Sports Winter Classic, which will held on Sunday at the TRACK at New Balance. The deadline to enter this meet is Thursday at 8 p.m.
What’s cool about this event is it’s open to everybody; not just high school athletes. It’s billed as a community event, open to youths to adults. Club teams, collegians, open runners and masters, all are welcome to compete on one of the fastest ovals on the planet.
The meet begins at 10 a.m. For field events, it features the shot, weight throw, high jump, triple jump, long jump and pole vault. The track events include the 60-meter dash, 60m hurdles, mile, 200m, 3,000m, 400m, 800m, and 5K.
Registration is done on direct athletics. Any questions, contact meet director Dennis Sheppard of Marathon Sports at dennis.sheppard@marathonsports.com.
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This past Wednesday, we had a good amount of our athletes compete (and prosper) at the annual MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge. Two days later in New York City, the same could be said by our talented weight-throwers.
On Friday, a solid contingent of throwers were at the U.S. Marine Corps Holiday Classic. Let’s just say, our R.I., athletes dominated inside the cage of The Armory. Woonsocket swept the two individual titles with junior Isabella Piette unleashing a PR of 47 feet, 8.25 inches to capture the girls’ title and senior Adam Beaudry winning the boys’ competition with a toss of 61-4.75.
Piette’s performance was not only an all-time best but moves her up a spot to No. 6 in the national rankings. Coventry’s Mia Hoskins placed second with a toss of 45-3.25. Woonsocket teammates Adelaide Caron (fourth, 42-10) and Angeliea Cruz (fifth, 42-5.5) and Coventry’s Gianna Stanley (ninth, 35-5) were also among the top 10.
For the boys, the local throwers swept the top three positions. Following Beaudry was fellow Villa Novan Shamrock Thoun (second, 60-6.75) and Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira (third, 59-0.25). The Coventry duo of Anthony Colucci (fifth, 57-11.5) and Zack DelSasso (seventh, 57-0.25) were also in the top 10.
