The Chula Vista OTC track and field team travelled to several meets this past weekend and finished with several strong performances and a few personal bests. Six athletes competed at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational, led off by David Brown and guide runner Jerome Avery in the 100m with a time of 10.96. This mark bests his previous world record, however, the +2.1 wind reading is slightly over the allowable amount. Also seen in the 100m was Markeith Price running 11.62. David Brown and Jerome Avery came back in the afternoon for the 200m in 22.61. Paralympian Akheel Whitehead also competed in the event and finished with 25.53. Michael “Mike Mike” Murray set a new personal best in the 400m with a time of 51.00, bettering his mark from the Aztec Invitational two weeks ago. In the same event, teammate Ahkeel Whithead ran 59.05.

The Chula Vista OTC group was also represented at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee/Rafer Johnson Invitational at UCLA. The heptathletes Jessica Flax, Shana Woods and Kiani Profit competed in select events following their heptathlon last week in Santa Barbara. All three threw the shot put, led by Jessica Flax with a new personal best of 13.36m. Profit appeared in three events: the 100mh (14.09), shot put (11.36m) and the long jump (5.76m) and Woods competed in two: the shot put (11.56m) and the javelin (34.17m). On the men’s side, Mike Hartfield and Jeff Henderson long jumped, finishing with marks of 7.81m and 8.13m, respectively. Additionally, Henderson ran the 400m in 51.49 along with Paralympian, Blake Leeper (56.79).

On Friday the Chula Vista OTC discus, shot, and hammer throwers had their first competition of the season. Doing double duty the throwers competed at the MESA Community College Invite and ASU Sun Angel Invite. At Mesa Tia Brooks threw 18.06m in the shot which is the 8th best throw in the world. In the men’s shot Eric Werskey threw 19.63m. In the men’s discus new resident athlete Jared Schuurmans threw a new personal best of 63.28m, which is the 10th best mark in the world. In the women’s discus Whitney Ashely, Liz Podominick, and Beth Rohl threw 61.78m, 60.60m, and 60.39m, with Whitney’s being the 10th best mark in the world and Beth’s throw being a new PB and first time over 60m. Finally in the hammer throw Jesscia Cosby, Britney Henry, and Kristin Smith threw 70.58m, 69.44m, and 62.62m. At the ASU Sun Angel meet the throwers threw for the second time of the weekend. In the women’s discus throw, Whitney Ashley led the field with a throw of 61.35m. Beth Rohl and Liz Podominick also opened with marks of 59.25m and 56.42m. Jared Schuurmans also threw a solid 61.70m in the men’s discus. The Chula Vista OTC group led the competitive field in the women’s hammer throw, with the meet record holder, Jessica Cosby winning with 70.71m. Brittany Henry and Kristin Smith finished second and third with throws of 67.92m and 65.90m.  Paralympian Jeff Skiba opened his outdoor season in the high jump with a 1.98m effort. The men’s long and triple jump crew ran an exhibition 4x100m relay with Bryce Lamb, Chris Benard, Troy Doris and Ronnie Taylor, finishing with a time of 41.08.

Both able-bodied and Paralympic athletes will be competing next weekend, April 18-19 at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, CA.