Mt SAC Cross Country Invitational 2013Oct 26, 2013 by FloTrack Staff
Super sophomores Tamagno and O'Keeffe set class records at Mt. SAC
Super sophomores Tamagno and O'Keeffe set class records at Mt. SAC
Here come the underclassmen. The sophomore class record on the boys and girls side fell this weekend at the historic Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational.
In the final race of the day on Friday, Brea Olinda sophomore Austin Tamagno won the Boy’s Sweepstakes in 14:34. His run broke the previous record of 14:48 held by Elias Gedyon in 2008.
Tamagno is a special talent. The Californian stormed onto the national scene with his 4:09.43 run over 1600m at the CIF State Track and Field Championships. So far this fall, Tamagno’s big performances have been a sixth place finish at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic (14:10 for three miles), a second place finish at the ASICS Clovis Invitational (15:07 for 5k), and a runner-up finish at the Orange County Championships (14:33 for three miles).
Flotrack caught up with Tamagno following his record run.
"I have nothing to lose."
That wasn’t it for the sophomores. Though Sarah Baxter broke the senior record at Mt. SAC with her 16:11 win, she did not get the opportunity to simultaneously hold all four class records. The race before the Girl’s Team Sweepstakes, which Baxter ran, was the Girl’s Individual Sweepstakes and it had Davis sophomore Fiona O'Keeffe. The sophomore would take the win in 16:54, which was 5-seconds under Baxter’s 16:59 run from 2011.
Similar to her male sophomore counterpart, O’Keeffe has had a busy fall season. She also finished second at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, where she ran 17:17 for 5k. But that's not all. O'Keeffe took some big wins earlier this season at the Sacramentro State Hornet Jamboree (17:36 for 5k) and the Stanford XC Invitational (17:38 for 5k).
We should also note that O’Keeffe is one of the smoothest runners around. When we tuned into the Mt. SAC live broadcast, it looked as if she was running effortlessly as she came down Crossover and later the Airstrip.
Both runs erase legendary marks on the Mt. SAC course. Are we seeing the present and future of California cross country? After this year’s Mt. SAC, it’s an emphatic yes.
In the final race of the day on Friday, Brea Olinda sophomore Austin Tamagno won the Boy’s Sweepstakes in 14:34. His run broke the previous record of 14:48 held by Elias Gedyon in 2008.
Tamagno is a special talent. The Californian stormed onto the national scene with his 4:09.43 run over 1600m at the CIF State Track and Field Championships. So far this fall, Tamagno’s big performances have been a sixth place finish at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic (14:10 for three miles), a second place finish at the ASICS Clovis Invitational (15:07 for 5k), and a runner-up finish at the Orange County Championships (14:33 for three miles).
Flotrack caught up with Tamagno following his record run.
"I have nothing to lose."
That wasn’t it for the sophomores. Though Sarah Baxter broke the senior record at Mt. SAC with her 16:11 win, she did not get the opportunity to simultaneously hold all four class records. The race before the Girl’s Team Sweepstakes, which Baxter ran, was the Girl’s Individual Sweepstakes and it had Davis sophomore Fiona O'Keeffe. The sophomore would take the win in 16:54, which was 5-seconds under Baxter’s 16:59 run from 2011.
Similar to her male sophomore counterpart, O’Keeffe has had a busy fall season. She also finished second at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, where she ran 17:17 for 5k. But that's not all. O'Keeffe took some big wins earlier this season at the Sacramentro State Hornet Jamboree (17:36 for 5k) and the Stanford XC Invitational (17:38 for 5k).
We should also note that O’Keeffe is one of the smoothest runners around. When we tuned into the Mt. SAC live broadcast, it looked as if she was running effortlessly as she came down Crossover and later the Airstrip.
Both runs erase legendary marks on the Mt. SAC course. Are we seeing the present and future of California cross country? After this year’s Mt. SAC, it’s an emphatic yes.