PITTSBURG, Kan. - The Iowa Central track team finished up their indoor regular season by competing for the second time in three days at the Triton Kansas Challenge.
Rosalie Fish secured two national-qualifying marks in both the 1000 and mile as part of seven new standards met. Lilia Alvarez joined her in the 1000 along with the women's 4x400 relay of Odell Frye, Nadesha Wallace, Hannah Connell and Patience Heath.
On the men's side, Robin Aguilar Gonzalez (1000), Kelvin Bungei (1000) and Hunter Klimek (mile) all met the national standard at the meet.
David Bosquez-Grimaldo secured the 10th-best high jump mark in Triton history. He won the event by clearing 2.05m.
"It was a long three days in Kansas and we had some great performances as tired bodies," Iowa Central's Dee Brown said. "I really admire how well these kids performed this weekend. Two unsung heroes are our two multi-event athletes: Aries Scott and Nicola Paletti.
"In their quest to gain national qualifying scores in the heptathlon, they competed in approximately 10 events each throughout the weekend. Neither of them had a moment to rest as they were constantly going. It takes a special athlete to do well in the multi-event and they are both great athletes."
Scott set personal-bests in five events and Paletti four during the two meets.
Fish went 3:03.49 to win the 1000 and 5:15.50 for first in the mile. Frye captured the 60 in 7.59 with the 4x400 relay winning in 3:58.03. Victoria Adu also won the weight throw with a toss of 18.60m.
Alvarez was second in the mile (5:30.09) with Adu (shot put/12.24m), Heath (long jump/5.28m), Alvarez (1000/3:08.35) and Shaunti Longfellow (mile/5:43.81) placing third each.
Bungei won the 1000 in 2:30.15 and doubled up with a first place finish in the mile (4:14.03). Jaheem Hayles won the 60 hurdles (7.99), Lee Eppie the 400 (48.04), Cassius Havis the 600 (1:23.07) and Tristen Hanna the triple jump (14.02m).
"It was great for our students to get back out on the same track they will be competing on at nationals in three weeks," Iowa Central head coach Jordan Burkholder said. "Our students continue to get better every week as we enter championship season."
Enoch Antwi won silver in both the long jump (6.86m) and triple jump (13.75m), with Gonzalez placing second in 2:32.57 in the 1000 and Hunter Klimek second in the 3000 (8:44.42).
Scott (long jump/6.81m), William Richardson (weight throw/15.97m), Isaac Davis (600/1:24.92), James MacKey Jr. (shot put/13.81m), Eliot Cummings (triple jump/13.57m) and Chris Levario (mile/4:23.01) were all third.
"I'm not just proud of these athletes, but our coaching staff too," Brown said. "They were outstanding driving buses all over Kansas, shuttling food back and forth to the hotels and just taking care of our athletes the best that we can in this modified year. I really hand it to them.
"It may look easy from the outside, but they do a lot all hours of the day."
The Tritons compete Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo. in the Region XI Championships.
-By Dana Becker