by MARIAH THOMPSON Staff Writer
Monroe’s boys 4×400 track team competed in the Meet of Champions on Wednesday, June 4 at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield.
The Meet of Champions is a track and field event where New Jersey’s elite athletes come together to compete in an assortment of events.
Although the boys did not place in the 4×400, they did beat their own record for Monroe Township High School with a 3:20.
Shortly after they ran, boys track head coach Traci Rickert said smiling, “I am proud of them. They beat their own record and that is all I care about.”
In the 4×400 meter race, there are four boys that each run around the track once. After each one finishes their lap, they hand a bouton to the next runner until all four boys go.
On Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31, the four boys competed in multiple events, including the 4×400 in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.
There, seniors CJ Thompson, Shawn Reynolds, Anthony Aversano, and junior Ariel Delgado won fifth place overall in the 4×400 in group four, which advanced them to compete in the Meet of Champions.
Thompson, Aversano, Delgado, and sophomore Miles Shipp also placed seventh overall in the 4×100 in group four.
Thompson and Shipp also competed in the 400 meter dash at the Meet of Champions after qualifying at Egg Harbor.
Thompson ran a 49.72 at the Meet of Champions.
Reynolds also placed in the 400 meter hurdles in Egg Harbor and competed at this exclusive competition.
At the Meet of Champions, Reynolds placed 13th.
Another student of Monroe Township that competed was Chris Wong in the 110 meter hurdles.
All three seniors that competed in the 4×400 have committed to a college.
Thompson will be attending Rutgers University in the fall and majoring in engineering. This is Thompson’s first year running track, and he has broken three school records this year including the 400 meter dash, the 4×400 meter relay, and the 4×100 meter relay.
Thompson said, “This is my first year running track and I only started because I was pretty quick in football and thought I’d give it a shot.”
Thompson broke the 4×400 record with Reynolds, Aversano, and Delgado.
He broke the 4×100 with Aversano, Delgado and Shipp.
“I find it cool that I was able to break a few records before I left the school. It is kind of like leaving a footprint behind,” Thompson said.
Reynolds will be attending East Stroudsburg University on a scholarship for the 400 meter hurdles.
Aversano will be going to Norwich University. He also broke the school record in the shuttle hurdle relay with Reynolds, Wong and senior Matt Ballman.
Six records were broken this year for track and field.
“I think it is crazy that all of these records were broken just this year. It shows that we have some really talented athletes in this school. Track and field is not as appreciated as it should be in this school, though,” an anonymous student said.
Those that moved on will continue to compete in North Carolina for nationals on June 14, 2014.
Which track and field event would you be most interested in?
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