Wellesley Track & Field Records Multiple PRs at Tufts Cupid Challenge

MEDFORD, Mass. – Sophomore Grace Cowles (Yarmouth, Maine) and first year Maya Bradbury (Freeport, Maine) each posted personal records to qualify for the New England Division III Championships in the 3000m, as Wellesley College track & field competed Saturday at the Tufts University Cupid Challenge at Gantcher Fieldhouse. 

Cowles was fifth overall to lead a pack of five Wellesley runners in the event with a time of 10:32.27. Bradbury followed right behind her teammate, finishing in sixth (10:33.65). Junior Eva Paradiso (Burlington, Vt.) made it three Blue runners in the top-ten, posting a PR of her own to take eighth (10:43.19). Paradiso's time was more than seven seconds faster than her PR from last week at Tufts. First year Amy Tao (Hong Kong, China) and junior Fiona Harrigian (San Marino, Calif.) added 12th (11:48.95) and 15th (11:57.80) place finishes for the Blue. 

The Blue recorded multiple PR times and finishes throughout the day, including senior Helen Andersen (Madison, N.J.), who continued to lower her program record mark in the shot put, placing third overall with a mark of 11.47m. Andersen was also 1cm off her program record in the weight throw, finishing fifth with a mark of 13.73m on her second attempt.

Also competing in the shot, junior Keer Sun (Pine Brook, N.J.) grabbed 15th place with a PR of 8.59m and first year Abigail Parakoyi (Houston, Texas) was 16th with a PR of 8.34m. Sun also recorded a season best in the high jump, clearing 1.45m to finish in tenth. Parakoyi added an 18th please finish in the weight throw (6.07m).

Competing for the first time in 2019, junior Tatenda Rameau (Syracuse, N.Y.) posted a PR in the 60m, a solid ninth place finish in the 200m, and helped the Blue nearly break a program record in the 4x200m relay. Rameau was fourth overall in the 60m (8.18), but registered a time of 8.09 in the prelims, the second fastest mark in program history. 

Rameau's ninth place (27.89) finish in the 200m was tops among the fourth Wellesley competitors in an event that saw multiple PRs for the Blue. Senior Yuriko Fukumura (Newton, Mass.) was 20th in the 200m with a season best time of 30.23, while sophomore Kayla Fong (New York, N.Y.) took 21st with a PR of 30.42 and senior Jenn Harris (Vestal, N.Y.) was one spot behind Fong with a PR of her own in 30.46. Harris was also 18th in the 400m (1:07.05).

Wellesley's 4x200m relay finished less than half a second off the program record, with Rameau running the second leg following senior Cathy Chen's (Parsippany, N.J.) opener. Sophomore Aiyana Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Ava Shipman (Makawao, Hawaii) helped the Blue clock in with a time of 1:51.68. Chen also added a mark of 9.94 to finish 9th in the 60m Hurdles, while sophomore Rachel Berets (Belmont, Mass.) was 12th in 10.21.

Also competing for the Blue on Saturday, junior Liz Wegman (East Sandwich, Mass.) was 16th (2:37.07) in the 800m and first year Grace Heizer (Portland, Maine) was 17th (3:29.09) in the 1000m.

Wellesley continues the season next Saturday, February 9, at MIT's Gordon Kelly Invitational.