Grimm Sets New Personal Best in Weight Throw

Jan. 9, 2010

PROVO, UTAH - The University of Utah women's track and field team finished competition at the BYU Indoor Invitational on Saturday with a limited group of athletes competing. Senior Sarah Grimm earned first place in the weight throw as she set a new personal best. Freshman Alyssa Johnson has an impressive day on the track winning the 300m dash with a time of 41.11. The throwers competed on Friday, while the remainder of the events took place on Saturday afternoon.

In the weight throw, Grimm, a native of Salt Lake City, won outright with a mark of 59-9.25 for a new personal best, which ranks third on Utah's all-time best list. Grimm's previous best was 58-2.5. Freshman Nikkie Rudder, native of Nampa, Idaho, had an eighth-place finish in the event with a toss of 46-9.5. Junior Kastin Frostl, native to Riverton, Utah, finished the event with a 40-6.25 mark for 13th-place, while Amanda Pais, a native to Taylorsville, Utah, earned 14th-place with a toss of 38-8.5.

In the shot put, sophomore Candus Aiello, native to Riverton, Utah, competed unattached to earn ninth place overall with a mark of 42-0.25. Grimm had a toss of 37-9.5 to earn 14th place overall. Pais had a mark of 37-6 for 15th-place in her first collegiate meet. Brianna LeRoy, a sophomore and native to Gig Harbor, Wash., returned early from the winter break to compete, hitting a mark of 32-2.25 in the shot put.

"The whole series of throws was consistent," said head coach Kyle Kepler. "It is great to see kids that are already ready to jump out the box and make the next big step. They competed hard and we're off to a solid start."

Freshman Angela Kaplar was the lone Ute to move into the finals in the 60m hurdles. She finished in 9.05 for fifth-place overall. LeRoy also competed in the event where she finished in 11.99 for third-place in her heat.

In the 300m dash, Johnson, a freshman standout, won outright with a time of 41.11 ahead of BYU's Ashley Jameson (41.67) and Utah Valley's Chelsea Baker (41.94). Chelsey Kaplar finished fifth overall after crossing the line in 42.09. Freshman Lauryn McKay also had an impressive day with her first collegiate meet, earning ninth place overall with a time of 42.22.

McKay, Johnson, and the Kaplar sisters teamed up for the 4x1 lap relay at Saturday's meet, finishing with a combined of 3:04.30 for a fourth place overall finish.

"It feels good to have had athletes competing in five events and to win two of them. In the hurdles, sprints, and in the relay they ran solid," said Kepler. "We went at this pretty typical for a first meet. It wasn't about a time, but about getting on the track for experience. It is time to get that racing feeling back. Everyone competed fairly well across the board."

UP NEXT FOR THE UTES
The Utes will be competing at the Bengal Shoot Out next weekend in Pocatello, Idaho for a one-day meet held on Jan. 15.

"Everyone will get their opening meet next week. We will analyze where we are over the break after next week's meet in Pocatello," said Kepler. "Training will be a little bit different with school starting since the rest periods are much shorter. We will be keeping our eye on the prize at the end of February."

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Players Mentioned

Candus Aiello

Kastin Frostl

Sarah Grimm

Alyssa Johnson

Angela Kaplar

Chelsey Kaplar

Brianna LeRoy

Lauryn McKay

Amanda Pais

Nikkie Rudder

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