By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
With the early season meets in the rear view mirror, athletes are beginning to get into race shape as they prepare for the championships in three weeks. The first big test of their fitness against some of the best competition in the Northeast this weekend will be the 39th Yale Interscholastic Track Classic slated for this Friday and Saturday in Coxe Gage at Yale University.
The schedule of track events in the 2-day invitational is clearly divided with the Weight Throw and all relays on Friday and individual events on Saturday. On Saturday morning spectators can view several heats of the 3000m run with a matinee listing of 55m hurdle and 55m dash trials, semis and finals followed by heats of the 1-mile, 300m dash, 600m run and finishing with the 1000m run.
Every single race is important as coaches are beginning to put together their line-ups for the post season while athletes are looking to qualify for the championships on Yale’s fast 200m banked track. But first let’s take a look at some of the top ranked relays in the championship races on Friday.
YALE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP RELAYS
6:00PM Girls – 4X200m Relay Championship
(NBNI Auto Standard 1:45.50, NIN Auto Standard 1:47.00)
The top two seeds, Bloomfield and Classical, RI have already met at the MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge with the War Hawks coming out on top by nearly three seconds. But anything can happen in the 4x200m. They have since dropped their time down to 1:42.49 at the Hispanic Games and are a well disciplined team used to a big meet atmosphere. Classical was 6th last year at New Englands and should put up a solid fight. Westfield is one of the top teams in New Jersey and has Sean O’Brien, a very low 12 second 100m girl on one of their legs.
6:10PM Boys – 4X200m Relay Championship
(NBNI Auto Standard 1:31.50, NIN Auto Standard 1:33.00)
Bloomfield, Lyman Hall and Danbury, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fastest teams in CT are all in the hunt for a win in this race. Bloomfield has already run 1:32.14 with the other two Nutmeg teams less than a second behind. But a pair of Rhode Island teams will look to spoil CT’s fun. Bishop Hendricken was 3rd at New Englands last spring in the 4x100m and has four solid legs that have already run 1:33.17 at the Freedom Games on Sunday. Lasalle Academy is the Ocean State leader with a 1:31.67 from the Boston Holiday Challenge.
6:20PM Girls – 4X800m Relay Championship
(NBNI Auto…
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