Christopher Gabor and Emma Schafer win Combined Events titles; Youth Tri-Challenge and 1-Mile run welcome over 150 athletes from the Central Coast
Santa Barbara, Calif. (April 6, 2019) – On a sunny Santa Barbara weekend, another great weekend of Track & Field helped kick off the outdoor season for professional athletes, while collegiate athletes continued to strive for qualifiers. Highlighting the two-day competition was Santa Barbara Track Club’s (SBTC) Lindon Victor (GRN) breaking his own Grenadian outdoor national record in the Pole Vault with a leap 4.90m / 16’00.75” and Canada’s Mike Mason high jumping 2.31m / 7’06.75” to set a Thorrington Field stadium record as well as a 2019 world leading mark.
Mount St. Mary’s Christopher Gabor won the 2-day, 10-event Decathlon with 6,660pts and Davenport University’s (redshirt), Emma Schafer (USA), won the women’s 2-day, 7-event Heptathlon with 4,724pts.
In addition to the professional and collegiate competition, the SBTC held a free youth clinic on Wednesday with Team Canada, Team Grenada and Team USA Olympians helping prepare the young athletes for Saturday’s Tri-Challenge and 1-Mile run, which saw over 150 athletes from throughout the Central Coast compete. The 1-Mile run was a SBAA Jr. Grand Prix event.
Event Highlights
Lindon Victor (SBTC / GRN): Pole Vault - 4.90m / 16’00.75”. His previous outdoor national record was 4.70m / 15’5” in 2017 and personal best was 4.76m / 15’7.25” indoors also set in 2017. The mark will be provisional until officially approved.
Mike Mason (CAN): High Jump - 2.31m / 7’06.75”. 2019 World Lead and Thorrington Stadium record; surpassed Derek Drouin’s (CAN) 2017 stadium record.
Kurt Felix (SBTC / GRN): Shot Put - 15.38m / 50'05.50". Tied both his personal best and the meet record.
Phil Bailey (SBTC / USA): Long Jump - 7.47m / 24'06.00". Personal best in the event.
Juanita Webster-Freeman (SBTC / USA): High Jump - 1.81m / 5'11.25". Good early season jump and close to her 1.83m / 6’00” personal best.
Becky Asselin (SBTC / USA): High Jump - 1.75m / 5'08.75". Good early season jump and close to her 1.78m / 5’10” personal best.
About the Santa Barbara Track Club
The Santa Barbara Track Club (SBTC) hosted at Westmont College aims to provide a pathway to the podium for athletes of all ages and abilities. The SBTC is comprised of Olympic and aspiring Olympic Track & Field athletes, a Youth Track Club as well as community members seeking to reach their highest potential through group and private training.