Published: 6/1/2023 9:22:47 PM
Modified: 6/1/2023 9:22:22 PM
FITCHBURG – Emma Sanford dragged everything left in her out for the 800-meter run.
After some stumbles earlier in the day, the South Hadley senior needed a big performance in the final event of the MIAA Meet of Champions pentathlon to reach at least her seed.
She grimaced her way twice around the Fitchburg State track after a brutally hot day with temperatures in the 90s and posted a personal-best time of 2 minutes, 35.24 seconds. That was good enough for third in the event, which boosted her a spot to second overall.
The Division 6 pentathlon champion scored 3,141 points and finished second. Franklin’s Sarah Dumas took the title with 3,341 points.
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into it. It’s a lot of events. You can do really well or you can have an off day. Even if you just miss one event, it can throw you off,” Sanford said.
She set a meet record in the pentathlon shot put at 35 feet, 5 inches, one of her two victories. That followed a shot put title at the Division 6 championships.
“Shot has become one of the ones slowly that I’ve put a little more trust in and I have more confidence in,” she said.
Sanford also won the long jump at 17 feet, 0.25 inches.
She placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (15.28 seconds), an event she’s seeded second in Saturday’s Day 2 of competition at the Meet of Champions. She tied for ninth in the high jump at 4-feet-7, a mark that set her back.
“In my opinion, under preformed what I wanted,” Sanford said.
She stayed in the shade as much as possible to preserve energy throughout the events, which spanned four hours.
“That was the one thing that was killing me. I’ve never competed in that weather before. It was intense,” Sanford said.
She’ll return for two events Saturday that she’s already practiced – the hurdles and shot put.
“I have to have confidence in what I know how to do and knowing if I want to, I can,” Sanford said.
Amherst’s Logan Alfandari secured a place in the New England Championships after finishing sixth in the boys discus. He threw 151 feet, 1 inch, just an inch out of fifth place.
Northampton’s Camilla Brewer placed 11th in the girls triple jump (35-2).
Amherst’s Courtnegail Rose took 16th in the girls discus (102-03). Her teammate Elizabeth Sawicki was 19th in the girls 400 hurdles (1:08.82).
Nicholas Lisle of Amherst finished 19th in the boys 800 (1:58.39), and David Piñero-Jacome was shortly behind him in 25th (1:58.83).
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.