Published July 3, 2019
GREENSBORO, N.C. — To cap off a stellar 2019 outdoor track and field season, North Reading had seven of its elite track and field athletes (six girls and one boy) compete at the New Balance National Championships on the weekend of June 15 in Greensboro, North Carolina at North Carolina A&T State University.
THE NRHS girls’ outdoor track and field team was represented by six student-athletes at the New Balance National Championships in Greensboro, N.C. Ali Grasso, Isabella Parrett, Megan Lawlor and Katelyn Gorgenyi comprised the shuttle hurdle relay team, Lindsay MacLellan competed in the 2000-meter steeplechase, and Abigail Martin competed in the javelin. Pictured from left to right are Parrett, Grasso, Martin, MacLellan, Lawlor and Gorgenyi. (Courtesy Photo)
On Friday, three Hornets competed in the Emerging Elite Division of the championship where athletes who just missed the qualifying standards were able to compete.
Leading the charge was Ali Grasso who competed in the Emerging Elite triple jump and took fifth place overall with a leap of 38’ 5”.
Abigail Martin competed in the Emerging Elite javelin throw and finished 11th with a throw of 113’ 10” which was a personal best for the season.
Billy Lord took 19th in the Emerging Elite 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.54, which lowered his own school record by .02 seconds.
The championship division events were held on Saturday with both Lindsay MacLellan and the shuttle hurdle team competing for All-American status, which is a title that goes to the top six placers in each event. MacLellan took 10th overall in the 2000-meter steeplechase, finishing with a six-second personal best time of 7:04.07 and only 10 seconds off sixth place. As this was only her second time contesting the event and it being her junior year, look for MacLellan to take another run at All American status next year.
BILLY LORD lowered his own school record in the 110 meter hurdles by two-tenths of a second as he took 19th overall in the Emerging Elite division of the event at the New Balance National Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 15. (Courtesy Photo)
The shuttle hurdle relay team made up of Ali Grasso, Isabella Parrett, Megan Lawlor and Katelyn Gorgenyi capped off the weekend with a stellar two-second personal best, lowering their time to 1:02.51 and an eighth-place finish, just one second off All-American status. As Lawlor is the only senior on the team, the remaining three athletes are certainly on the hunt for that All-American status next year after they find a new fourth for the team.
The track and field team and their coaches would like to thank their fans for their support in this historic year of performances and they hope see you out on the track next year.
