NEW BRITAIN – Liam Wright set the Class LL meet record in the pole vault Wednesday afternoon. The bar was at 15 feet, 4 inches and he asked the officials to move it up a foot.
He wanted to break the state record (16-3 ½) and he could have raised the bar a little at a time but he also had to go compete in the triple jump at Willow Brook Park. His back was giving him a little trouble but if he felt good, he would also be the leadoff leg in Hall’s 4×400 relay.
Wright, a Hall senior who will compete at Columbia next year, finished second in the triple jump, then ran the 4×400, something he had only done three times this season. Hall won the 4×400 and won its sixth straight state title with 109 points over runner-up Danbury (69).
“It was a really cool all-around team effort,” Hall coach Jeff Billing said.
Senior Joe Nham won the 110 hurdles (14.51). Senior Jon York, who came back from an injury, won the 400 (49.32). Senior Jacob Walters won the javelin (188-8) and Hall won the 4×800.
Class LL: Joe Nham of Hall wins the 110 hurdles title in 14:51 #cttrack pic.twitter.com/EAWt7MAmMu
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) May 29, 2024
Wright wasn’t completely healthy the last two outdoor seasons but still competed in the pole vault. Last year, he won the Class LL title and the State Open.
“We had planned on him jumping and sprinting but both years he got hurt early, so we had to be careful and keep him healthy to get his points in the vault,” Billing said. “This was the first spring since his freshman year he’s been healthy straight through.”
Wright wanted to compete in some other events. He did the long jump, triple jump, ran the 100, 200 and 400. In the last dual meet, Billing put him on the top 4×400 team.
“I ran fast enough to get on the team,” Wright said. “In all honesty, I’m not too aware of what a good 400 time is. People tell me it’s good and I sort of accept it.
“It’s fun and also a little painful. It’s a different environment. I get the best of both worlds.”
Wright’s best pole vault is 15-6, which he did at the CCC meet last week. He’s hoping for another shot at the state record at the State Open Monday.
Glastonbury coach Brian Collins announces retirement after win
The Glastonbury girls won their fifth Class LL title Wednesday and after they celebrated, coach Brian Collins gathered them in the infield of the track at Willow Brook Park and told them he was retiring after this season.
Collins has been the indoor and outdoor track and cross country coach for 25 years. He said he will coach cross country in the fall and “see what happens after that.”
“Twenty-five years, it’s a long time,” Collins said. “I think it’s the right time.”
Glastonbury scored 87 points and runner-up Conard 75.5. Last year, Conard beat Glastonbury by six points to win the title.
Senior Annika Paluska set a meet record in the 400 (2:11.72) and junior Brooke Strauss finished second in the 1,600, fifth in the 800 and fifth in the 3,200. Junior Eloise Mulready won the high jump (5-2). Glastonbury won the 4×800 relay.
“A lot of things fell into place,” Collins said. “We knew Conard was going to be very strong. We stepped up in a lot of events and got extra points.”
Glastonbury has won 10 indoor track titles and 11 cross country titles under Collins.
Newington’s Katie Bohlke outkicks a stellar field in the Class LL 1,600, winning in a meet record 4:47.27, Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury second (4:51.42), Tess Sherry and her sister Liv of Conard third (4:52.71) and fourth (4:55.09) #cttrack pic.twitter.com/DbFbmPq2Bs
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) May 30, 2024
Katie Bohlke a double winner
Newington’s Katie Bohlke set the meet record in the 1,600 (4:47.27), outkicking Strauss and Tess and Liv Sherry of Conard, then won the 3,200 in 10:45.94. “I was surprised with the 4:47 – that was better than I expected,” she said. … East Hartford senior Keira Stewart won the long jump (19 feet, 4 inches), breaking a meet record from 2002 set by Stacey Egbert of Danbury (19 ¾ inches). Her teammate Bryanna Boroze won the shot put (34-11 ½).