Fintel Wins Hammer Throw, Withrow Runner-Up in 10K as Track & Field Stays in Contention on First Day of MAC Championships
DAY ONE RESULTS ATHENS, Ohio –
As Trista Fintel was waiting for her hammer to be retrieved after one of her final throws, she grinned and gave a thumbs up.The eight-time Division II All-American transfer from Findlay could feel what she was about to accomplish – winning a MAC hammer throw title, her first conference outdoor crown to couple it with her MAC indoor weight throw victory.
Fintel's best toss of 63.23m was enough to make her the fifth Falcon in the last six years to take the MAC title in the hammer throw.
After her initial toss went foul, the graduate student remained calm and collected as she improved in each of her next three throws to outthrow the next closest competitor by nearly three meters.
It greatly aided BGSU's placement as a team as they sat tied for third place (23) with Eastern Michigan behind Miami (33) and Akron (29) after the first day of competition.
The 10,000m was also an event to remember. Running under a dark blue evening sky drenched in sweat from the hot and humid air, Rachael Withrow notched a runner-up finish in the 10,000m (35:20.87) while Regina Rose took sixth (35:41.89).
The sophomore Withrow ran a composed race, never falling back further than third and even holding the lead for two laps. She is BGSU's highest finisher in the event at the MAC Championships since Rachel Walny placed second in 2019.
Jenna Lucas also had a stellar performance in the javelin. The junior took seventh in the event with a heave of 38.73m, which bested her PR by over three meters.
It was her third throw that helped her qualify for the finals and vault her into fifth-best performer status in BGSU history in the event.
Lucas also competed in the first four events of the grueling heptathlon, ending the day in fifth with 3,005 points. Her best finishes were first in the shot put (13.27m) and fourth in the high jump (1.61m) while she also took part in the 100m hurdles and 200m.
Saturday's 400m hurdles and 200m finals will have BGSU representation. DaMya Barker took sixth in the 400m hurdles prelims (1:01.22) while Kiersten Franklin placed fifth in the 200m prelims (23.82) to land themselves in the finals in their respective events.
Franklin's mark was just 0.02 seconds off Jeanette Pettigrew's school record set back in 2014.
Christabelle Obi took tenth in the 400m hurdles prelims (1:01.90) for a lifetime PR, while Alexis Parchman came in 13th in the 200m prelims (24.28) to PR as well.
Kami Baker finished in 12th in the hammer throw (47.49m), while Katherine Mendenhall placed 13th in the javelin (34.01m) to round out the Falcons' competitors.
Up Next
The Falcons will look to add more points to their team totals on Friday, May 16 as they will compete in seven events. Lucas will also complete her heptathlon with the long jump, javelin and 800m.
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