Grossman Runs Sub 30-Minute 10K at UVA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Sean Grossman broke the 30-minute mark to set a school record in the men’s 10,000m at the Virginia Challenge on Saturday.
“If someone told me two years ago after my first 10K that I would eventually run this time, I would tell them they were crazy,” Grossman said. “I am ecstatic that I’ve continued to trust the process and now have this race to show for it.”
A senior from Dix Hills, N.Y., Grossman was sixth in the men’s 10,000m with a personal-best time of 29:38.64, breaking his own UM school record of 30:09.58 set a year ago.
“It was a magical night tonight in the 10K,” Miami distance coach Damon Griffiths said. “We came in with a goal of achieving a regional mark. Sean surpassed all expectations during his race. To finish with a 30-second PR and beat some elite runners was special.”
Nathan Kuck was 13thin the men’s 10,000m with a career-best time of 30:23.21, while Adam George posted a personal-best time of 32:00.99 to finish 30th. Kuck’s time ranks second in UM history behind Grossman’s school record time.
“Nathan didn’t have the race that he might have liked, but he still left with a 30-second personal-best and the number 2 time in school history,” Griffiths said.
A pair of Canes earned top-5 finishes in the women’s shot put, as Debbie Ajagbe was third with a personal-best mark of 15.43m and Sherry Lubin finished fourth with a season-best throw of 14.11m.
“We came out and had a very solid day,” Miami associate head coach Cory Young said. “The shot put started out a little slow, but we persevered and came out with a PR from Debbie and a season-best for Sherry.”
Ajagbe also led the Canes in the women’s hammer invitational section, finishing sixth with a mark of 58.75m. Zakiya Rashid was seventh in the same event with a throw of 56.53m.
“Zakiya and Debbie competed very well in an outstanding hammer competition,” Young said. “They are fierce competitors and are on the verge of some very big throws in the next few weeks.”
Gian Piero Ragonesi finished fourth in the men’s discus invitational section with a mark of 55.41m.
“Gian Piero made some significant strides technically today,” Young said. “As we move into the championship segment of the season, I look for him to put his throws together and hit some big marks.”
Carolyn Brown ran her first 200m of the outdoor season, posting a time of 24.82 seconds.
“Carolyn competed well today,” Young said. “She ran a very confident race. This was a good weekend for her leading into the National Relay meet next week.”
Complete meet results are available HERE.
Following this weekend’s action, the Hurricanes will head to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete at the National Relay Championships on April 27-28. To view the complete Miami Track and Field schedule for the 2018 season, click here.
For all the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow the official Twitter feed, @MiamiHurricanes, or “Like Us” on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes. Follow @CanesTrack on Twitter for specific news on UM track and field and cross country. The program is also on Instagram.
