Colorado University Athletics
Torres Places Fifth at California Invitational
April 14, 2016 | Track and Field
AZUSA, Calif. –University of Colorado senior Abrianna Torres placed fifth overall to cap off a stellar first heptathlon of the season at the California Invitational Combined Events on Thursday.
Torres finished the day with a total score of 5,528 points, which was just 17 points shy of her personal best. She was the second highest finishing collegiate athlete as there were three post-collegiate competitors in her section.
Torres started the day in eighth place and had an outstanding day to move up three spots. She started action in the long jump, where she was the second place finisher after jumping a season-best 19 feet, 8.75 inches. Torres was also second in the javelin after recoding a mark of 124-6, tying her season-best from last Saturday. She capped off the day running a PR of 2 minutes, 23.02 seconds in the 800-meter run.
Also in the heptathlon, freshman Maja Wichhart-Donzo placed 25th with 4,832 points, qualifying her for the USA Junior Championships this summer. During the day, she recorded a long jump of 17-4; a toss of 92-2 in the javelin and ran 2:27.95 in the 800.
The men also had some great performances in the decathlon. Freshman Isaiah Oliver finished his first collegiate decathlon sixth in the 'B' section with 6,415 points. He was in second (by one point) entering the day's action and took the lead after finishing first in the 110-meter hurdles, clocking in at 14.87.
Oliver was unable to hang on to the lead as the day progressed, but he still did very well considering he has only been practicing with the track team for a short time. He recorded a throw of 94-11 in the discus before clearing 10-8 in the pole vault. After a mark of 137-2 in the javelin, he closed the day running 4:46.66 in the 1,500.
The 'A' section of the decathlon saw sophomore Andrew Ghizzone recording a fourth place finish with a PR of 6,876 points, up from 14th after the first day. He ran 15.29 in the 110-hurdles before throwing 107-11 in the discus. Ghizzone was second in the pole vault after clearing 15-5 and then recorded a toss of 137-6 in the javelin. He finished the day strong, winning the 1,500 in 4:19.13.
Many other Buffs started competition in Southern California on Thursday as members of CU's track and field team were also competing at the Pacific Beach Coast Invitational at Long Beach State and the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific.
Senior Brady Rutt highlighted action at the Pacific Beach Coast Invitational, placing sixth in the discus with a huge PR of 174-3, almost three feet further than his previous PR of 171-8. The mark will likely qualify Rutt for the NCAA West Preliminary Championship in late May. Freshman Grayson Webber also did quite well in the discus, earning a PR of 166-1 to place ninth.
Senior Sophie Hallam-Eames was the highest placing female for CU, finishing 11th overall in the discus with a 144-7 mark. Sophomore Mariah Walker also had a top 15 performance with a 141-4 mark, good for 15th.
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, sophomore Eryn Blakely led CU with a second place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking in at 10:33.14, a personal best. She was also the fastest collegiate finisher in the race.
Redshirt freshman Ethan Gonzales ran the 5,000 and won the second section in 14:36.37, a personal best. Sophomore Christian Martin ran a PR of 14:36.28 in the third heat of the 5,000 earlier in the evening.
The Buffs will continue action on Friday at several meets in Southern California.
2016 California Invitational Combined Event
Women's Heptathlon
Scores: (1. Annie Kunz, 5,904) 5. Abrianna Torres, 5,528; 25. Maja Wichhart-Donzo, 4,838; 44. Lauren Sharpe, 3,898; 46. Rachel
Sharpe, 3,831
Long Jump: (1. Chari Hawkins, Santa Barbara TC, 20-3.50/6.18) 2. Torres, 19-8.75/6.01; 23. Wichhart-Donzo, 17-4/5.28; 41. L. Sharpe, 16-1.75/4.92; 44. R. Sharpe, 15-6.25/4.73
Javelin: (1. Lucija Cvitanovic, SMU, 154-1/46.96) 2. Torres, 124-6/37.95; 32. Wichhart-Donzo, 92-2/28.11; 47. L. Sharpe, 66-1/20.14; 49; R. Sharpe, 49-10/15.20
800-Meters: (1. Annie Kunz, Texas A&M, 2:14.90) 12. R. Sharpe, 2:19.24; 23. Torres, 2:23.02; 36. Wichhart-Donzo, 2:27.95; 39. L. Sharpe, 2:29.88
Men's Decathlon (Section B)
Scores: (1. Brock Larson, ND State, 6,816) 6. Isaiah Oliver, 6,415; 12. Joe Martinez, 5,759; 16. Nate Gravelding, 5,065
110-Meter Hurdles: 1. Oliver, 14.87; 13. Martinez, 16.58; 15. Gravelding, 17.10
Discus: Oliver, 94-11/28.94; Gravelding, 93-4/28.46; Martinez, 80-6/24.54
Pole Vault: Martinez, 11-3.75/3.45; Oliver, 10-8/3.25; Gravelding, 9-8/2.95
Javelin: Martinez, 150-8/45.92; Oliver, 137-2/41.82; Gravelding, 122-3/34.22
1,500-Meters: (1. Derrick Schulter, NW Missouri, 4:32.36) 3. Martinez, 4:35.42; 8. Oliver, 4:46.66; 9. Gravelding, 4:54.09
Scores: (1. Pierre-Louis, Grand Canyon, 7,340) 4. Andrew Ghizzone, 6,876
110-Meter Hurdles: (1. Dan Lentz, Lewis, 14.65) 10. Ghizzone, 15.29
Discus: (1. Teddy Scranton, Cal Poly, 131-3/40.02) 9. Ghizzone, 107-11/32.90
Pole Vault: (1. Cole Jensen, Washington, 15-9/4.80) 2. Ghizzone, 15-5/4.70
Javelin: (1. Devin Bennett, Cal Poly, 190-5) 8. Ghizzone, 137-6/41.92
1,500-Meters: 1. Ghizzone, 4:19.13
2016 Beach Pacific Coast Invitational
Field Events
Men's Hammer Throw: (1. Keith Williams, Eastern Michigan, 207-5/63.24) 16. Matthew Denton, 166-6/50.75
Women's Hammer Throw: (1. Katelyn Weimerskirch, ND State, 197-5/60.17) 33. Delaney Hall, 119-8/36.49
Men's Discus: (1. Jason Harrel, Arete, 183-5/55.92) 6. Brady Rutt, 174-3/53.13; 9. Grayson Webber, 166-1/50.63; 19. Paden Gatlin, 146-11/44.78
Women's Discus: (1. Madison Pachner, BYU, 170-6/51.98) 11. Sophie Hallam-Eames, 144-7/44.07; 15. Mariah Walker, 141-4/43.09; 22. Elisa Grandemange, 135-1/41.17; 30. Makenzie Kline, 124-9/38.03
Men's Shot Put: (1. Dennis Christiansen, BYU, 58-1/17.70) 18. Austin Swanson, 41-2.50/12.56
Track Events
Men's Steeplechase: (1. Cale Wallace, Arkansas, 9:01.40) 31. Joe Holvey, 9:42.45
Women's Steeplechase: (1. Bethany Blomquist, The Janes, 10:15.53) 2. Eryn Blakely, 10:33.14
Women's 5,000 (Heat 6): (1. Pearl Law, UC Irvine, 18:25.10) 17. Mandy Ortiz, 19:42.89
Men's 5,000 (Heat 3): (1. Jeremy Breedlove, IUPUI, 14:35.10) 3. Christian Martin, 14:36.28
Men's 5,000 (Heat 2): 1. Ethan Gonzales, 14:36.37
Women's 5,000 (Heat 1): (1. Alice Wright, UNM, 16:01.80) 15. Annie Kelly, 17:00.65
