The Wilbur Cross junior earned gold at Saturday’s meet with
the nation’s fifth fastest time of 5 minutes, 1.30 seconds.
“It was a good race to start the season,” said Rivers, the
defending New England indoor and outdoor mile champion. “The pace was really
good. I’m hoping for a good season.”
Rivers, who owns a best of 4:47, defeated another sub
five-minute runner and quality talent, junior Bella Burda of Arlington, N.Y.,
who was second at 5:02.29.
Despite a field that featured several national-caliber
runners, Rivers didn’t hesitate to take the pace out hard. She held a
comfortable cushion over the chase pack at the 800-meter mark, passed in 2:24.
Burda, who would capture the 3,000m later in the meet with a nation No. 1 of 10:08, made a move the final
lap to try and catch the Wilbur Cross standout but came out short in the end.
Rivers’ time ranks No. 5 nationally.
“The season has been going pretty good,” she said. “I’m
looking forward to it and have fun with these ladies.”
Windsor junior Sashana Hinds was less than a half a second
from her best with her winning time of 41.32 in the 300-meter dash. She was
hoping to run faster on the flat oval. Last week, she ran the nation’s ninth
quickest time in the country with a winning 25.61 at the New Haven
Invitational.
“I think my start was good,” Hinds said. “I felt like I got
tight throughout the race and that affected my time a little bit.”
Norwich Free Academy sophomore Kelsey Hall copped the pole
vault with a height of 10-9. With a strong kick on the final lap, South Windsor
junior Michael Stroker overtook the Wheeler School (RI) senior Ian Stellar to
take the 3,000m with a time of 9:14.34. Stellar was second at 9:15.13.
In the boys’ triple jump, Courtney Rush, a junior from Windsor, had a winning leap of 46-6.25 (US #10), a nearly three-foot personal best. Finishing second was East Hartford’s Stephen Sam at 43-1.
Rush’s winning effort came on his last attempt of the afternoon.
“I was really tight because I ran the 300 before,” said Rush, who placed fourth in that event with a time of 36.62. “My coach just told me to have some patience on your second phase and I got up on that one.”
Connecticut had the top three finishers in the 55m dash with
Windsor sophomore Kyshawn Bonner edging sophomore teammate Chris Mack with his
time of 6.56. Mack placed second at 6.61. He was followed by Norwich Free
senior Andris Vitai at 6.72.
Bloomfield won three relay events in the nine-hour meet. The
Lions placed first in the girls’ sprint medley (4:25.04) and shot put (101-07) relays.
The boys also took the shot put (139-04.25) relay.