(Aliso Viejo, CA) The Park University Gilbert Track & Field team completed the first day of competition in the Great Southwest Athletic Championships Thursday afternoon, hosted by the Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, Calif.
This meet showcased the top talents in both the GSAC and the California Pacific Conference for the right to be called champions in the respective conferences.
Through the first of two days in the GSAC Championships, Arizona Christian leads on the women’s side with 104 points as the Buccaneers currently sit in fourth place out of five teams. On the men’s side, The Master’s leads with 92 points as the Bucs finished with no team score.
Park-Gilbert’s day was highlighted by a first-place finish from Mallory Turner in the women’s 100-meter hurdle event, where she finished with a time of 15.91 seconds.
Thursday afternoon began with the field events, where Johanna Jessup led the way with a second-place finish in the women’s long jump. Jessup reached 5.09 meters and was the runner-up in this 11-person event. In the men’s long jump, Bridger Megeath finished in the top-10 with a distance of 6.07 meters.
The track events commenced shortly after, starting with the women’s 400-meter dash for Park-Gilbert. Graduate student Maryan Sharif placed sixth out of 19 runners with a time of 4:59.81. Next up was the women’s 400-meter dash, where Madison Turner finished in the top-5 with a time of 1:02.92.
Out of the 17 runners in the men’s 100-meter dash, all three of the Bucs’ participants placed in the top-10. Dylan Hukill nearly won the event, placing 2nd with a time of 10.93 seconds. Bridger Megeath and Brian Sparks finished in 7th and 8th place respectively, as they clocked in at 11.09 and 11.24 seconds.
On the women’s side, Park-Gilbert had another impressive showing in the 100-meter dash which had 13 runners. Nardia Padilla finished as the runner-up and Abri McCaster placed third, with times of 12.88 and 12.90 seconds respectively.
In the women’s 800 meter dash, Sharif led the way for Park-Gilbert; placing fifth with a time of 2:24.83. Madison Turner crossed the finish line shortly after as she finished in sixth place with a time of 2:25.83.
Next up for the Bucs was the women’s 400-meter hurdles, where Mallory and Jessop finished in fourth and sixth place respectively. Turner clocked in at 1:10.61 and Jessop finished with a time of 1:12.64.
The final events for Park-Gilbert on Thursday were the men’s and women’s 200 meter dash. Hukill and Sparks highlighted the men’s 200 as they placed 7th and 8th out of 14 runners. Hukill and Sparks finished neck and neck, as they finished with times of 22.59 seconds and 22.61 seconds. On the women’s side, Padilla had another second place finish on the day, as she clocked in at 26.74 seconds. McCaster followed shortly after, placing sixth at 27.16 seconds.
The Buccaneers return to action tomorrow afternoon, April 25, as they look to close out the GSAC Championships strong.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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