| Wanda Diamond League
By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Associate Correspondent Brynn Sherry, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
Photos – Track & Field Events by Ron Knapp
Photos – Field Events by Craig Rosenberg
Despite losing several members of their senior class to disciplinary issues, Bloomfield girls still held it together to dominate the CIAC Girls State Open Championship on Saturday at Willowbrook Park in New Britain. They scored 88 points with Glastonbury grabbing the runner-up spot with 60 points and Windsor taking third with 46.
Photo courtesy of CIAC
Coach Anne Burrow, who has guided the WarHawks to seven State Open titles since 2012 was thrilled how her team came together in face of several setbacks the past week. “I think this is my favorite one yet,’ Burrows exclaimed. “These kids could have crumbled. They could have said the season is over and went about their business but they got focused and I found all brand new types of leadership on my team.”
“I usually look to my seniors, but DD (D’Asia Duncan), SoSo (Soleigh Dixon), Payton (Sirdine) and Taylor (Jackson) let their voices be heard.”
D’Asia Duncan and Vanessa Agyemang went 1-2 in both hurdles events with Duncan running a PR of 14.00, the second fastest time in state history in the 100m hurdles and a winning time of 42.38 in the 300m hurdles. Agyemang also picked up a third silver medal in the long jump.
Jackson was a bit of a surprise in the long jump. She came in as the 4th seed and set a PR of 18-05.5 to claim the title and in the high jump, she set a two inch PR to move into 3rd.
“Taylor said she was going to show up today and she did. The entire team was going to do what they needed to do to win. ” Burrows said.after the meet.
Payton Sirdine also contributed major points to the team with her third place finish in the shot put (38-03.5) and runner-up throw in the discus (123-11).
Saphyr Brown also qualified for New Englands in both the 100m (6th place) and 200m (5th place) and April Nathaniel provided more points in the long jump with a 4th place finish. The 4x400m barely missed New Englands but still added two points after the team victory was well in hand with a 7th place finish.
Meet Records
The sole meet record on the girls side was set in the 1600m with both Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury and Chase Gilbert of Lyme Old Lyme both going under Katie Bohlke’s record of 4:46.46 set last year. The race started off with Strauss, Gilbert and Liv Sherry…
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