IRVINE, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton men's and women's track and field team started off its weekend at the Steve Scott Invitational at UC Irvine's Anteater Stadium on Friday, posting multiple personal-best time's in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
The Titans competed in three events in their only day of competition in Irvine, sending 15 long-distance runners to participate in the 5,000m run and 3,000m steeplechase events while nine throwers took part in the hammer throw.
David Ramirez was the top-finisher overall for Fullerton in the men's 3,000m steeplechase, finishing with a personal-best time of 9:05.70 seconds. Ramirez outpaced 22 competitors to take home a third-place finish while teammate Tim Reed crossed the finish line only two spots behind in fifth. Reed posted a personal-best time of 9:15.90 sec. to give the Titans two men in the top five of the event's standings.
Two Fullerton women also came away with personal-best finishes on Friday as Pamela Pelayo and Arianna Fuentes finished in fourth and fifth, respectively, in the women's 3,000m steeplechase. Paleyo finished ahead of her teammate, and 10 other competitors, after crossing the finish line in 11:10.85 sec. as Fuentes came in one position behind at 11:32.35 sec.
One Titan in the men's 5,000m run came away with a personal-best time as Kevin Russell ran his best race of the season on Friday, finishing in 15:18.97 sec. Nisreen Rizk came away with her personal-best time in the women's 5,000m, posting a time of 18:35.73 sec.
Amanda Mercado and Steven Parsons had the two-best throws for the Titans in the hammer throw competition at Anteater Stadium. Mercado earned an eighth place spot as Parsons posted a seventh-place finish. Mercado's best throw came on her last of the day, finishing with a distance of 51.64 meters. Parsons earned his top-ten spot at the Steve Scott Invite after his best throw flew 53.33 meters. Catherine Craig and Tayla Shultz earned personal-best throws after posting distance's of 45.75m and 39.12m, respectively.
Fullerton travels to Northridge, Calif. to continue their weekend at the CSUN Challenge against UC Riverside, Fresno State and the host Matadors. Events are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. with the final event starting at 4:58 p.m.
