Pios Record Five Event Wins At Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational

Saturday, December 2

Ocean Breeze T&F Center / Staten Island, N.Y.

4 p.m.

Sacred Heart

St. John's University Youree Spence Garcia Invitational

Pios Record Five Event Wins At Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational

12/3/2023 3:00:00 PM | Men's Track and Field

Mahario takes gold and silver in sprints

By: Cameron McClarren

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Five event victories highlighted a successful season opener as the Sacred Heart University men's track and field team competed at the annual Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational hosted by St. John's University, on Saturday evening.

The Pios took three of their five wins on the day on the track as junior Rafael Mahario followed up a career-best second place finish in the men's 200m with a win in the men's 400m, finishing the race in 48.2 seconds. In distance, the Red & White had great performances from a plethora of runners, including SHU's second event win of the day in the 3000m as Edward Tristine took home the gold with a time of 8:54.21. Matthew Vene, James Moore and Patrick Curreri followed suit in the 3000m with all three finishing in the top-10.

Finishing up on the track, the Pioneers received strong showings in the 60m hurdles as first year's Damon Wilson and Joshua Sanders took second and fourth, respectively, in their first collegiate races. In the 4x800m relay, the Pios took their last event win on the track as the quartet of Michael Mason, Nicholas Barbaro, Curreri, and Moore earned gold with a time of 8:39.15.

In jumps, junior Nazir Hibbert took home a win in the men's high jump, clearing 1.9m for the sixth time in his collegiate career while a trio of first year's earned high marks in the event as well as Langston Pearson took the bronze after clearing a height of 1.85m.

Junior Daniel Blatman took home the gold for the Pios in weight throw, posting a mark of 16.65 meters to start the season, while first year Joshua Wood earned silver in the event with a mark of 14.75m.

Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action this weekend with a pair of meets on the schedule starting with a two-day appearance at the University of Rhode Island Heptathlon Qualifier on December 7-8 before finishing the weekend up the Merritt Parkway at the Yale University Season Opener on Saturday, December 9 in New Haven, Conn.