Colorado University Athletics
Torres Leads Buffs After First Day of Pac-12s
May 08, 2016 | Track and Field
SEATTLE – After the first day of competition at the 2016 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, Abrianna Torres leads the University of Colorado as she is currently third in the heptathlon with 3,383 points.
Torres started the day running 14.73 in the 100-meter hurdles, which was ninth overall in the competition. In the next event, the high jump, Torres had the third best jump in the field after clearing a personal best 5 feet, 10 inches. The mark was the fourth best jump ever by a CU heptathlete, and is the best jump by a Buff since 1983 when Annette Tannander cleared 5-11 at the Big Eight Championships in Stillwater, Okla.
The shot put has always been a great event for Torres, and she did not disappoint on Saturday, finishing first with a toss of 42-10.75 which came on her third throw of the day. Her mark was over two feet further than the runner-up, Kendall Gustafson (UCLA), who earned a mark of 40-7.
“I'm happy with how today worked out,” Torres said. “The hurdles weren't great, but the high jump was pretty exciting and gave me a lot of energy. I knew that I had that [high] jump in me and I feel like I have more height in me.”
“Abrianna had two PRs in the high jump, first clearing 5-8.75 and then at 5-10, which was huge,” assistant coach Lindsey Malone said. “That mark should get her to the first round of the NCAAs and if she does that there, she could get into NCAAs and if she does that potentially at NCAAs, she could be an All-American. Having that under her belt today, and seeing her shine, was really fun. Afterwards, she told me she knew she had more height in her, so next weekend will be really fun when we come back and she competes in the open high jump.”
Torres ended in the day clocking in at 25.74 in the 200 (10th overall). Her first day total puts her 79 points ahead of where she was last year at the end of the first day. Southern California's Amalie Iuel leads the competition with 3,709 points, while Washington State's Liz Harper is second with 3,495 points.
Colorado's Maja Wichhart-Donzo also had a good day and is currently eighth with 3,051 points. She ran 14.49 in the 100-hurdles for seventh and then cleared 5-00.50 in the high jump for 11th place. Wichhart-Donzo recorded a personal best in the shot put with a throw of 34-5.75, which was eighth in the competition. She finished the day racing to a fifth place finish in the 200 in 24.73 seconds, which is the sixth fastest time in CU's heptathlon record book. Wichhart-Donzo is the second fastest Buff in the event as Heather Sterlin holds the top five times.
“I'm really proud of Maja,” Malone said. “I know she is only a freshman, but I have to remind myself that because she comes out with composure, she comes out ready to race. Everything went wonderfully for her today, except she had a little hiccup in the high jump; she has jumped higher than that, but everything else went great. Her score is a very good first day score for a freshman in the heptathlon.”
The men are also in good position after the first day of the decathlon with Isaiah Oliver in sixth and Andrew Ghizzone 10th.
Oliver, who is competing in just the second decathlon of his collegiate career, recorded a first day score of 3,791 points. He ran the seventh fastest 100 time in CU decathlon history, finishing third in 11.05. Oliver followed that up with a great leap of 22-1 in the long jump (sixth overall). He also placed sixth in the shot put, throwing the 10th best mark by a CU decathlete at 40-4.75.
Oliver didn't slow down and cleared a season-high 6-0.75 in the high jump for seventh. His final event of the night was the 400, which is where he made his biggest impact on the CU record book, cruising to the second fastest decathlon time at 48.28.
“Isaiah is a freshman that behaves like a senior,” Malone said. “He comes out and gets it done. He is able to make adjustments during the meet. It was beautiful here today, but it was hot, so for him to finish the 400 like he did shows a lot of courage and gumption.”
Ghizzone also had a solid first day. He was 10th in the 100, tying his PR of 11.49. In the long jump, he jumped 20-9.75, which was also 10th. Ghizzone followed that up with yet another 10th place mark in the long jump at 20-9.75. He moved up to eighth in the final two events of the day. Ghizzone recorded a PR in the shot put at 37-3 and finished his day with a time of 50.65 in the 400. He is traditionally stronger on the second day of action, but is up 44 points from where he was in 2015 (3,343).
“I think Andrew is probably a little disappointed,” Malone said. “He prepped really well for this and I think some things could have gone a little better. I'm proud of him because he stays very focused and very consistent within a range. Andrew is one of those who will pull through. His heart big enough that if he is behind and there is a chance that he can score tomorrow, he will do it.”
The second and final day of the combined events championships is Sunday, May 8.
PAC-12 COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Husky Track (Seattle, Wash.)
Heptathlon
Day One Scores: (1. Amalie Iuel, USC, 3,709) 3. Abrianna Torres, 3,383; 8. Maja Wichhart-Donzo, 3,051
100-Meter Hurdles: (1. Iuel, USC, 13.81) 7. Wichhart-Donzo, 14.49; 9. Torres, 14.73
High Jump: (1. Iuel, USC, 6-00.50) 3. Torres, 5-10/1.78; 11. Wichhart-Donzo, 5-00.50/1.54
Shot Put: 1. Torres, 42-10.75/13.07; 8. Wichhart-Donzo, 34-5.75/10.51
200-Meters: (1. Tuel, USC, 23.41) 5. Wichhart-Donzo, 24.73; 10. Torres, 25.74
Decathlon
Day One Scores: (1. Pau Tonneson, UA, 4,025) 6. Oliver, 3.791; 10. Ghizzone, 3,343
100-Meters: (1. Mitch Modin, UO, 10.94) 3. Oliver, 11.05; 10. Ghizzone, 11.49
Long Jump: (1. Josh Gordon, UW, 24-3.50) 6. Oliver, 22-1/6.73; 10. Ghizzone, 20-9.75/6.34
Shot Put: (1. Pau Tonneson, UA, 45-9.75) 6. Oliver, 40-4.75/12.31; 8. Ghizzone, 37-3/11.35
High Jump: (1. Dino Dodig, WSU, 6-4.25) 7. Oliver, 6-0.75/1.85; t8. Ghizzone, 5-10.50/1.79
400-Meters: (1Mitch Modin, UO, 48.10) 2. Oliver, 48.28; 9. Ghizzone, 50.65
