There is no better way to begin track and field season than by breaking records and setting personal bests. With two meets under their belt so far, track and field competed on Jan. 20 in New Mexico at the Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational. Last weekend, the athletes showed out at the Riverfront Invitational & Multis in Spokane, Washington.

In New Mexico, Dylan Fox and Maria Sartin rewrote the record books and earned national indoor provisional marks. In the long jump, Fox destroyed his previous 6.91m school record with a stunning 7.52m. Fox also celebrated a personal record in the 60m dash, hitting a 7.01 finish.

Sartin has been no stranger to breaking records during her Golden Eagle career. Sartin bested her previous school record in the indoor 400m with a 56.73 finish. If Fox and Sartin maintain a top-16 national ranking, they will compete in the indoor championships in March.

It's no coincidence these athletes have achieved great success already with their dedication and commitment. "I want to push myself mentally and physically to see how far I can go," said Fox. "I've been focusing on being deliberate in everything I do at practice to improve my technique in every drill and exercise."

Sartin said, "It is my final year here as a senior, so I know I am going to give track everything that I've got, use the talent that God gave me and take no day for granted."

Junior Hunter Hornaday continues the PR trend with an indoor record of 14.12m, just shy of his 14.25 lifetime PR. "I am looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish, in New Mexico, I had the biggest season opener in my career," said Hornaday. "That makes me incredibly excited for what can happen in April where it really matters."

During an incredibly successful weekend in Washington, freshman Giovana Pelascini earned 3,085 points in the pentathlon to break a longstanding 18 year old record. For Pelascini’s show stopping debut as a Golden Eagle, she will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

After last weekend, Jasmyn Crawford’s name will be at the top of two school event records. In the 200m dash Crawford recorded 24.68 seconds, beating the previous record by .01 seconds. In the 60m dash, Crawford blew past the line at 7.60 seconds and another record in her lap. With these performances, Crawford earned two national provisional marks in both events.

The record-breaking doesn’t stop there. Senior Tyler Denes set a new school record in the heptathlon, scoring a 4687.

While these athletes may compete in individual events, there is only team success. "When it comes time to perform, the seriousness and competitiveness comes out of every single person on this team," said Hornaday. "But after we did what we needed to, the individuality fades away and everyone seems to become one voice, supporting everyone else who is still running, jumping or throwing. It's a special feeling to be able to experience it at the first meet of the season."

"What stands out most to me is the immense motivation and positive attitude of this team, everyone really wants to be there and is eager to compete and improve," said Fox, "I can't think of a single person who doesn't positively impact the team on and off the track."

As Sartin competes in her last season wearing the Green and Gold, she said, "It truly is a blessing to be part of this team and sport."

"We have the ability as a team to achieve things we never have before," said Sartin.

With these show-stopping performances from the track and field athletes, Concordia is destined for a historic season. The Golden Eagles are currently in the midwest, visiting Allendale, Michigan to compete at Grand Valley State University on Feb. 9 and 10.

Sartin said, "Our team is competitive and hungry for greatness.”

Tags: sports, Track and Field

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