Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Potts Indoor Invitational
Buffs Shine At Potts Invitational
January 18, 2014 | Track and Field
BOULDER — University of Colorado junior Alex Kizirian led the Buffs with a pair of first-place finishes in the weight throw and shot put on Saturday at the Potts Indoor Invitational.
“Winning two events at home this early in the year is always useful and the weight throw was not his very best, but pretty close, and the shot [put] was good for him as well,” head coach Mark Wetmore said. “These marks are high up on his list, and were two wins at home, it was a good day.”
The school record holder in the weight throw recorded his best toss in the event on his first attempt at 65-11.50. He also won the shot put with a personal best mark of 53-11.25.
“I'd say today was a pretty good start, throwing a foot under my PR in the weight and throwing a PR in the shot put,” Kizirian said. “I'm pretty happy with how I did today.”
Emily Hunsucker also did well in the throwers ring, winning the women's weight throw with a personal best toss of 57-7, which is second on CU's all-time performers list. Her PR was over two feet further than her previous best (55-5), which she recorded on December 6, 2013 in Laramie, Wyo.
“Emily's weight [throw] is a PR,” Wetmore said. “She was a little stuck in that for a while and was quite frustrated. I remember talking to her a couple weeks ago after an Air Force meet, and she didn't quite get it. It was just a matter of waiting until the time came around, and today was the time.”
Abrianna Torres took home first-place honors in the women's shot put after posting a mark of 41-2.25. Torres also won the long jump with a leap of 19-08, which she recorded on her final attempt of the afternoon.
“Abrianna also doubled today, winning two events at home early in the year. It is a really good start for her,” Wetmore said.
In her second meet of the season, junior Kelsey English jumped 5-10 in the high jump to set an indoor best, surpassing her previous best mark of 5-9.25 from 2012.
“Honestly, the best performance of the weekend was Kelsey, jumping 1.78 meters,” Wetmore said. “I think that ties her best. If she goes another click higher, she'll be in the NCAA. That was good for her.”
“I didn't perform very well last weekend, so this gave me a little more confidence in my jumping ability this season,” English said. “I was actually kind of surprised by my jump because I had just started volleyball workouts and my legs felt kind of shot, but it all came together in the end.”
English cleared the height on her second attempt. Prior to jumping 5-10, she passed each previous height on her first try.
"Kelsey had a phenomenal performance,” assistant coach Lindsey Malone said. “Her technical knowledge is growing by leaps and bounds each year and it was evident today with her huge jump. Her focus is extraordinary and she is a true pleasure to work with. I'm greatly looking forward to seeing the new heights she will accomplish in the coming weeks."
Mark Jones also won the men's high jump with a mark of 6-10.75. He cleared the first two heights he attempted on his first try and made it over 6-10.75 in his second attempt. Jones also competed in the long jump, taking second with a leap of 21-10 and was third in the 60-meter hurdles (8.45).
The Buffs also did quite well in the sprints. Shaw Gifford clocked a personal best in the men's 60-meters, finishing first in 6.76. He bested Metro State's Jonathan Clarke (6.77) by just one one-hundredths of a second. Gifford's time ties him for sixth on CU's all-time performers list with Ryan Campbell. CU teammate Austin Mitsch was third overall with a time of 7.07.
“Shaw [Gifford] had a nice run in that second final, running 6.76.” Wetmore said. “That puts him sixth all-time at CU.”
CU also claimed top honors in the men's 60-hurdles as Jaron Thomas crossed the finish first in 8.29.
Eileen Gehring led the CU women to a 1-2-3 finish in the 60. Gehring finished in 7.71, .20 seconds in front of runner-up Lindsy Mattson (7.91). Brittany Hanrahan was third overall with a time of 8.30. Gehring ran slightly faster in the prelims, racing to a time of 7.68 to win her heat, but it was second overall as Korey Hardiway was a split second faster at 7.68.
In the women's 60-hurdles, Brittany Lewis was second overall (9.06) and Torres placed third (9.10).
“We had some good things,” Wetmore said about the meet. “I would say a B+ for what we're looking for in the middle of January at home in the winter.”
The Buffs will be back in action next weekend at the Air Force Invitational Jan. 23-25.
2014 POTTS INDOOR INVITE
Balch Fieldhouse (Boulder, Colo.)
(Complete results are available at CUBuffs.com)
Field Events – CU Athletes only
Women's High Jump: 1. Kelsey English, 5-10; 2. Ewelina Pena, 5-05.25; 3. Mariah Slack, 5-01; 3. Brittany Lewis, 5-01
Men's High Jump: 1. Mark Jones, 6-10.75
Men's Pole Vault: (1. Ben Timmer, 14-09) 2. Jason DeWitt, 14-05.25
Women's Weight Throw: 1. Emily Hunsucker, 57-07; 3. Sophie Hallam-Eames, 48-08
Men's Weight Throw: 1. Alex Kizirian, 65-11.50
Women's Shot Put: 1. Abrianna Torres, 41-02.25; 2. Kajsa Bank, 39-05.75; 5. Brittany Lewis, 33-00.25;6. Ewelina Pena,
29-06.50; 7. Mariah Slack, 29-04
Men's Shot Put: 1. Alex Kizirian, 53-11.25; 6. Jason DeWitt, 41-07
Women's Long Jump: 1. Abrianna Torres, 19-08; 2. Brittany Lewis, 18-09; 4. Mariah Slack, 16-07.75; Ewelina Pena,
15-10.50
Men's Long Jump: (1. Brendan Ames, Unattached, 24-08.50); 2. Mark Jones, 21-10
Women's Triple Jump: (1. Kayla Johnson, Colorado Mines, 36-05) no CU athletes
Men's Triple Jump: (1. Justin Jimmerson, Metro State, 44-10.25); no CU athletes
Track Events – CU Athletes only
Men's 60 Meter Dash (Prelims): 1. Shaw Gifford, 6.84; 3. Austin Mitsch, 7.06; 4. Blake Berens, 7.09; 8. Jaron Thomas, 7.21
Men's 60 Meter Dash (Finals): 1. Shaw Gifford, 6.76; Austin Mitsch, 7.06
Women's 60 Meter Dash (Prelims): (1. Korey Hardiway, Unattached, 7.67); 2. Eileen Gehring, 7.68; 3. Lindsy Mattson, 7.92; 4. Brittany Hanrahan, 8.26; 7. Charlotte Dennis, 8.44
Women's 60-Meter Dash (Finals): 1. Eileen Gehring, 7.71; 2. Lindsy Mattson, 7.91; 3. Brittany Hanrahan, 8.30
Men's 60 Meter Hurdles: 1. Jaron Thomas, 8.29; 3. Mark Jones, 8.45
Women's 60 Meter Hurdles: (1. Korey Hardiway, Unattached, 8.55); 2. Brittany Lewis, 9.06; 3. Abrianna Torres, 9.10;
5. Ewelina Pena, 9.59; 6. Mariah Slack, 9.91
Men's Mile Run: (1.Carl Arnold III, Unattached, 4:27.34); no CU athletes
Women's Mile Run: (1. Laura Thweatt, Boulder Track Club, 4:55.03); no CU athletes
Men's 400 Meter Dash: (1. Ian Rozier, Colorado Mines, 50.38); no CU athletes
Women's 400 Meter Dash: (1. McKenzie Zeman, Colorado Mines, 59.11); no CU athletes
Men's 600 Yard Run: (1. Carson Aberle, UC-Colorado Springs, 1:14.55); no CU athletes
Women's 600 Yard Run: (1. Alexa Urban, UC-Colorado Springs, 1:30.40); no CU athletes
Men's 800 Meter Run: (1. Garrett Hoch, Colorado Mines, 1:54.89); no CU athletes
Women's 800 Meter Run: (1. Laura Thweatt, Boulder Track Club, 2:14.46); no CU athletes
Men's 200 Meter Dash: (1. Justin Jimmerson, Metro State, 23.29); no CU athletes
Women's 200 Meter Dash: (1. McKenzie Zeman, Colorado Mines, 26.36); no CU athletes
Men's 3000 Meter Run: (1. Jess Palmer, Unattached, 9:30.19); no CU athletes
Women's 3000 Meter Run: No entries
Men's 4x400 Relay: (1. Colorado Mines 'A', 3:25.40), no CU athletes
Women's 4x400 Relay: (1. UC Colorado Springs 'A', 4:10.60), no CU athletes
