By Jeff Powalisz
For Laura Chmielewski, the season and temperature does not matter. She’s just going to keep breaking records.
The junior set another record in the pole vault with the first-place finish of 12-11.50 at last Saturday’s Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla. In the winter, she first set the record in the event against Harvard (12-7) and then set another NU and New England Championship record at 12-9.5, winning the regional title.
Previously, the record-setting Chmielewski broke the pole vault record at her former school of Rutgers, and began her victorious streak in high school with a record-best vault there as well.
“Laura jumped extremely well,” said Northeastern track coach Sherman Hart. “I can’t say enough about her. This is just the breaking of the ice too. It seems every time she jumps, she breaks the record.”
Zara Northover won the shot put, where she had a throw of 53-9.25, just two inches off the 22-year NU record. Ahndraea Allen, the America East Most Outstanding Indoor Track Performer, stayed consistent in the 400, where she won at 54.38.
“There was a big recognition factor as well,” Hart said. “Being down there with those teams was a positive thing for both the team and the school.”
Jordine Kimbrel placed fifth in the 100 (11.90), and seventh in the 200 (24.26).
Stephanie Morrison and Amy Hicks were sixth and seventh respectively in the 1500, with times of 4:46.71 and 4:47.18.
In the 100-meter hurdles, Wittley Jourdan was sixth at 15.02 to add to the memorable list of performances for the team.
Nicole Parker (5-08) and Janel Kozlowski (5-04.25) were fifth and sixth in the high jump, while Courtney MacLaren added support in the pole vault at 10-11.75.
Northover had another great performance in the hammer throw, where she was seventh among all competitors at 141-04.
“There were great performances all day,” Hart said of the meet where Chmielewski, Parker, and Allen all qualified for the regionals. “Every race we competed in it seemed we were always right there. To go down to Florida and make a name for ourselves is a credit to the program.”
Men’s Track
In an exciting finish that saw a large crowd rise to its feet, Idris Payne stormed back to lead the men’s 4×400 team to a first-place finish Saturday at the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla.
Payne snuck up on the Texas runner after falling behind by 20 meters, eventually leading the Huskies to the win and 3:17.49 finish.
Payne, who also placed second in the 400 at 47.60, is as valuable as ever to the Huskies.
“Throughout the whole meet, the most noteworthy finish had to be the men’s 4×400 run,” Hart said of the relay composed of Payne and freshmen Christian Tirella, Conrad Dalton and Roscell Lopez-Pitts. “Idris was 20 meters behind and caught up to the guy from Texas. The race epitomized the whole meet.”
Derek Anderson was as strong as ever in the throwing events as his throw of 54.72 won the discus and he placed third in the shot put at 57-01. With these throws, Anderson qualified for the regionals.
Peter Jasmin had a great day as well, in finishing second in the 110 hurdles (14.45). Jasmin then placed sixth in 400-meter hurdles (55.61) while Jose Fernandez was eighth in the event (56.79).
Tirella added support to Payne in the 400, where he placed eighth at 50.54, while Dalton and Tom Pratt were sixth (1:57.21) and seventh (1:57.41) in the 800.
Lopez-Pitts was not done performing in the meet either, with a seventh-place finish in the long jump at 22-00.75.
Both the men’s and women’s track teams will be hosting the Snowflake Classic Saturday at 10 a.m. at Solomon Track in Dedham.
