FITCHBURG – The Meet of Champions’ opening day featured a combination of sweltering heat, triumph and tears.
Competing at Fitchburg State were the absolute best, which led to events chockfull of personal records. Westford Academy senior Ryan Kyle set the bar early, crowning himself state champion with a new state record, 51.72, in the 400-meter hurdles.
“Right away, I felt fast,” said Kyle, who won the race a day before his high school graduation. “The heat didn’t bother me – we were all running in the same conditions, so I just blocked that out.”
Kyle, who is attending the University of Rhode Island in the fall, trusted his training to overcome any mental battle that the heat added.
“I hydrated a lot all day,” said Kyle. “I’m glad I was able to execute in the race.”
Other standouts included Apponequet Regional’s Thomas Smith, who won the boys pentathlon 100 hurdles (14.98), as well as Billerica Memorial’s Nyrah Joseph, the winner of the girls pentathlon 100mH (14.85)–and the girls pentathlon high jump (1.60m).
Dracut’s Zoe Clark (126-09/38.63m) led the pack in the girls discus, and Brookline’s Alaina Bodine (48-02/14.68m) won the girls discus para ambulatory event. In the boys discus, Peabody High’s Areno Saint-Victor (154-00) led an exceptional field, while King Philip Regional’s Austin Cannon (10.37m) won the boys discus wheelchair.
Catholic Memorial’s Amar Skeete emerged victorious in the boys triple jump (48-05.00/14.76m), and Lincoln-Sudbury’s Gabrielle Pierre (41-09.50) won the girls triple jump. Burlington High’s Leon Sekandi (1.95m) won the boys pentathlon high jump, Westborough’s Daniel Velez (14-06.00/4.42m) won the boys pole vault, and Cohasset’s Nathan Askjaer (6.79m) was victorious in the boys pentathlon long jump – while Masconomet’s Mara Siewko (5.51m) took home the honors in the girls pentathlon long jump.
North Reading’s Giuliana Ligor was spectacular in the 400 hurdles, winning with a time of 1:00.06.
“I felt some extra nerves as the defending champion,” said Ligor, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania this fall. “It was a very talented field, but I know I’m always competing against the person in my own lane. I felt smooth on the hurdles, which I was really happy about. That’s when I knew something good was coming.”
Incredible feats took place throughout the day, including Cardinal Spellman’s Lydiah Donahue-Wilfred (10.28m) dominating the girls pentathlon shot put and Cohasset’s Askjaer (13.80m) powering his way to the title in the boys field. Brighton’s Delmace Joseph Mayo (1:55.84) won both the boys 800 wheelchair and the boys two mile wheelchair (8:49.65), and Notre Dame Academy’s Maddie Wilson (2:30.59) pulled off the feat for the girls 800 wheelchair – as well as the girls two-mile wheelchair (11:22.76).
An especially thrilling moment occurred when Brookline’s Altamo Aschkenasy sprinted ahead of the boys 800 meters field, winning by more than a second with a time of 1:51.62. After celebrating his prom only hours before, Aschkenasy entered the race working off pure adrenaline.
“I’m not going to lie – I never went to sleep,” said Aschkenasy, who is attending UMass Amherst in the fall. “I was a little worried I’d be too tired, but I just trusted in my training.”
Walpole’s Sawyer Regan won the boys pentathlon 1500 (4:26.14), and Milton’s Annaliese Aguilar (2:21.85) was victorious in the girls pentathlon 800. BC High’s Nathaniel Assa (9:14.52) was phenomenal in the boys two mile run, and Needham’s Gretta Hammer (10:40.05) won for the girls. Westford Academy’s Abigail Hennessy (2:08.11) was victorious in the girls 800 meters, while Lincoln-Sudbury’s Nicholas Begic (21.56) put forth an outstanding performance in the boys 200.
Sharon’s Nina Kyei-Aboagye was magnificent in the girls 200 final, finishing first in a tightly contested heat with a time of 23.28.
“I didn’t know I won until I crossed the finish line,” said Kyei-Aboagye, who set a personal record with the winning time. “My legs felt disgusting coming off prelims, but I wanted it. I put everything I had into it – not looking back, I was focused on running my own race.”
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