LA VERNE, Calif. — The San Diego women's track team turned in a record-breaking weekend, competing between the Leopard Invitational in La Verne and the highly-touted Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., highlighted by a program-best performance in the 4x400-meter relay.
The crowning moment of the weekend came when Lilly Dow, Talya Sepand, Olivia Gaspar and Kara Curry combined to finish second in the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:00.60, erasing the previous school record by nearly three seconds. Dow set the tone for the quartet with a 57-second opening split, and three of the four runners recorded sub-60-second legs on the afternoon.
The 800 meters showcased depth across multiple heats. Sepand led the way with a personal-best 2:19.64 to place eighth in heat three, while Gaspar posted a personal-best 2:25.43 for eighth in heat four. Scarlett Laurent logged a season-best 2:20.96 for 10th in heat two, Ashleigh Schein finished seventh in heat four with a 2:24.06, Molly Stewart recorded a season-best 2:24.26 for 11th in heat three, Curry crossed in 11th at 2:23.70 in heat two and Camryn Kozak placed seventh in heat five with a 2:28.03.
Laurent and Schein carried their momentum into the 1500-meter run, each claiming second-place finishes in their respective heats. Laurent posted a personal-best 5:07.74 in heat one, while Schein set a personal best of 4:59.14 in heat two. Kozak was ninth in Heat 3 at 4:57.74, Lizzie McVey placed 12th in heat five at 5:08.09 and Nathalie Green finished 14th in heat four with a 4:54.62.
In the 5K, Clare Boneau paced the Toreros with a sixth-place finish of 17:42.39 in Heat 3. Sydney Tackett followed in seventh with a personal-best 17:47.57, and Rebecca Bronstein rounded out the heat with a season-best 17:57.97 for 18th. Hana Husmann and Amy O'Connell each recorded season bests in heat one, finishing 12th (19:32.27) and 16th (19:48.62), respectively.
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, Green returned to the track for the 5000-meter run, posting a personal-best 18:11.44 to place 20th in heat one. Curry also competed at Bryan Clay, placing ninth in the 800 with a 2:20.09.
San Diego will have the week off from racing before returning to competition at the UC Irvine Steve Scott Invite in Irvine, Calif. on Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2.
RESULTS
Leopard Invitational
4x400 Relay: 2nd — Lilly Dow, Talya Sepand, Olivia Gaspar, Kara Curry, 4:00.60 (School Record)
800m: 8th — Talya Sepand, 2:19.64 (PR); 8th — Olivia Gaspar, 2:25.43 (PR); 10th — Scarlett Laurent, 2:20.96 (SB); 11th — Kara Curry, 2:23.70; 11th — Olivia Stewart, 2:24.26 (SB); 7th — Ashleigh Schein, 2:24.06; 7th — Camryn Kozak, 2:28.03
500m: 2nd — Scarlett Laurent, 5:07.74 (PR); 2nd — Ashleigh Schein, 4:59.14 (PR); 9th — Camryn Kozak, 4:57.74; 12th — Lizzie McVey, 5:08.09; 14th — Nathalie Green, 4:54.62
5000m: 6th — Clare Boneau, 17:42.39; 7th — Sydney Tackett, 17:47.57 (PR); 18th — Rebecca Bronstein, 17:57.97 (SB); 12th — Hana Husmann, 19:32.27 (SB); 16th — Amy O'Connell, 19:48.62 (SB)
Bryan Clay Invitational
800m: 9th — Kara Curry, 2:20.09
5000m: 20th — Nathalie Green, 18:11.44 (PR)