Figueroa’s PR Highlights Opening Day at Golden Flash Gala
12/8/2017 8:22:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
KENT, Ohio – Kent State had just 13 athletes in action on the first day at the season-opening Golden Flash Gala but had several personal-bests set Friday afternoon at the Kent State Field House.
Gabrielle Figueroa unleashed a monster throw for 68'-9.25" on her first attempt to win the weight throw. It is a new personal-best for Figueroa, who moves into second on Kent State's all-time list in the event.
Kent State had three of the top four collegiate finishers in seeded pole vault. Sam Tollerud cleared 13'-0.25" for second place. Ally Thompson set a new personal-best of 12'-8.25" to finish fourth and move up to eighth on Kent State's all-time list. Maria Horrigan took fifth with a clearance of 12'-2.50".
In the women's long jump, Raja Rutherford led the way in fourth place with a personal-best mark of 17'-11.75". Sarena Choi (17'-11.00"), Maria Horrigan (17'-9.00") and Melina Owens (17'-4.75") each participated in their first collegiate long jump competition and finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
Members of the men's team only competed in the heptathlon on Friday. TJ Lawson won all four events held — 60-meter dash (7.06), long jump (24'-4.50"), shot put (46'-4.00") and high jump (6'-11.00") — on the first day and leads the way with 3,421 points. Lawson set a new indoor personal-best in each event and his mark in the high jump ranks eighth in school history.
Jacob Mally and Ryan Looser also competed in the heptathlon, which will have the final three events will take place on Saturday, for the Flashes. Mally sits in sixth place with 2,837 points and cleared 6'-8.75" for second in the high jump. Looser is currently in ninth with 2,662 points.
The Golden Flash Gala concludes on Saturday with the men's high jump, women's shot put and men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles scheduled for 11 a.m.
Players Mentioned
