If you’re all about track & field like we are here at Ocean State Running, Sunday will be a day you may want to mark on your calendar. At the TRACK at New Balance, beginning at 9 o’clock in the morning and continuing to the early part of the afternoon, is the Marathon Sports Winter Warrior High School Invitational, a meet presented by New Balance. Once that’s complete, Marathon Sports will be back at it again with its second annual Winter Classic, an open meet at 4 p.m., that’s designed to be a community event for all age groups. Recently added is a Race/Walk.
According to meet director Dennis Sheppard, the Winter Warrior Invite is on pace to attract around 1,400 entries. The meet will feature 12 events, including the 55m, 55m HH, 300m, 600m, 1.000m, mile, two mile, high jump, long jump, 4x200m, 4x400m and 4x800m. The Winter Classic includes the shot, weight throw, triple jump, long jump, pole vault, 60m hurdles, 60m dash. mile, 200m, 400m, 800m, 3K and 5K.
Registration for both meets are done on athletic.net. The deadline to enter is Thursday at 8 p.m.
***
The Beantown Winter Classic, held this past weekend at the TRACK at New Balance, proved to be a major success in its initial year, particularly for our Ocean State athletes that competed in the two-day meet. We highlight some of those star during Day 1 of the competition on Saturday. Day 2 on Sunday featured a couple more.
Barrington’s Bobby Wind raced to an all-time best of 7.49 seconds to take the 55m hurdles. That time ties the Eagles’ senior for No. 11 in the country. Last year, Wind and fellow teammate and eventual state champion Ethan Knight were chasing the state record of 7.41, held by former Hope great Yudehweh Gbaa from the 2004 New England Championships. Knight came the closest with a 7.49 at the East Coast Invitational. Now, Wind has tied his teammate at No. 2 on the all-time list. Could Gbaa’s 20-year-old mark be in jeopardy this winter? It’s certainly possible. When Gbaa set his record two decades ago, his previous best was 7.52 from his second-place finish at the Yale Track Classic the previous year. Wind’s best for 2023 was 7.54.
State cross-country champion Keaney Bayha of Pilgrim was impressive in the two mile. The Patriots senior finished second overall with a PR of 10:45.40. Bayha’s effort, a best for the deuce by 25 seconds, currently ranks No. 3 in the country.
Per usual, our weight throwers had a field day at the meet.
It seems like it’s only a matter of time before Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun hits the 80-foot mark in the weight throw. The Villa Novan junior has been laser focused the early part of the season. On Sunday, he improved his nation-leader by a foot with a toss of 77-9.5 to take the Invitational/Club title. It was his fourth straight 70-plus effort of the season. Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira was second at 69-6.25. Finishing third was Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden with a distance of 68-6.75. Ponaganset’s Owen Allen was fifth with a best of 65-11.
In the girls’ weight, Woonsocket’s dynamic duo of Adelaide Caron and Isabella Piette went 1-2 with throws of 51-1.25 and 47-3.5, respectively.
