ELAC men’s track and field improves

SANTA BARBARA, CA — The East Los Angeles College Huskies men’s track and field team improved with some personal records in the Santa Barbara City College Easter Relays today.

Freshman Joshua Palmer (Baltimore, Randallstown HS) ran a lifetime-best in the 100-meter dash in 11.79 seconds to take fifth in the fourth heat of the event.

Four Huskies threw personal best marks in the throwing events.

Sophomore Cesar Santiesteban (Cathedral HS) placed fourth in the discus’ third flight, fifth overall, with a personal throw of 131.14 feet, four feet farther than his previous best.

Freshmen Kyle Hua (Alhambra HS) and Jonathan Paredes (Alhambra HS) muscled personal best throws in the hammer. Freshman Arturo Martinez (Jefferson HS) recorded his farthest throw this season in the shot put.

In long distance running events, sophomore Cristian Flores placed first in the 3,000-meter steeplechase among CCCAA athletes.  He continues to have the seventh fastest time in the state.

Huskies sophomore Agustin Arias (Montebello HS) competed in his first-ever steeplechase run and is now ELAC’s No. 2 runner in the event.

ELAC placed ninth in the 4,000-meter distance medley, edging host Santa Barbara by 17 seconds.

The Huskies team consisted of Flores, freshman Anthony Jovel (Bell Gardens HS), sophomore Justin Torres (Alhambra HS) and freshman Antonio Chamu (Los Angeles River School).

Chamu placed sixth in the second heat of the 1,500-meter run, less than two seconds faster than College of the Canyons sophomore Matthew De Jesus.

ELAC has three meets during Spring Break to end its regular season followed by the South Coast Conference Prelims and Championships during the last week of April.

The Huskies compete at the 4th Annual Arnie Robinson Track & Field Invitational on Saturday, April 2 at San Diego Mesa College. Mesa will host the state championships in late May.

Santiesteban will be the lone Husky competing in the SoCal Regional Decathlon Championships, April 5-6 at Cerritos College. He is the sixth seed.

ELAC will compete in the Cerritos College Invitational, April 8-9. Preliminaries will be on Friday, April 8 with the top-nine in each event moving on to the Invitational Finals on Saturday, April 9. Events for ELAC begin at noon both days.

submitted by Tadzio Garcia