NORTH YORK, Ont. - The Laurier Golden Hawks track and field team delivered a series of season-best performances at the York Open, held this past weekend at the Toronto Track and Field Centre, with all four relay squads posting their fastest times of the year.
Coaches noted the team is rounding into form as the OUA championships approach in three weeks.
Friday night opened with a strong showing from the women's relay team of Abby Byers, Neve Rye, Anisah Sabree and Ciahan Malone, who clocked a season-best time to earn a third-place finish.
The men's relay squad of Declan Di Frangia, Etua Kaddu, Nathan Hehn and Sise Aroloye followed with a season-best performance of their own, using clean hand-offs and strong closing speed to capture the win.
Competition resumed Saturday with the 60-metre heats, where Di Frangia, Kaddu and Byers each advanced to their respective finals.
Several long sprinters also impressed. Kevaun Gay recorded a personal best in the 300 metres, while Chloe Poulter, competing in her first meet back after an internship in Spain, posted her fastest race of the season.
In the middle-distance events, Alyssa Zinn set a personal best and established a new school record in the 600 metres, finishing third. Tyler Klazek added a personal best in the 1,000 metres with a tactically strong race.
The meet concluded with the 4x400-metre relays, where Laurier fielded three men's teams and two women's teams.
The women's quartet of Byers, Poulter, Sabree and Zinn raced to a season-best time and a first-place finish, with three runners posting splits under 60 seconds.
On the men's side, the A team of Finn Moore, Nolan Kuhlberg, Chad Thorpe and Hehn placed second behind Western while setting a new school record. Hehn's 48.85-second anchor leg highlighted the performance.
Additional strong splits came from Miles Gulas (50.8) and Gay (51.5), underscoring the depth of the Hawks' relay group.
Laurier returns to competition Feb. 6-7 at the Windsor Team Challenge.
