Big Macs’ Kuchera 3-peats in 100 hurdles, triple jump
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
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SLIPPERY ROCK — Canon-McMillan senior Rose Kuchera completed a three-peat in two events Wednesday in the WPIAL track & field championships at William C. Lennox Track on the campus of Slippery Rock University.
Kuchera ran a personal record (PR) of 14.75 to win the 100-meter hurdles for the third year in a row and had a season-best leap of 39-01 to top the field in the triple jump for a third-straight season in Class 3A.
Kuchera, who will continue to jump in college at Duquesne, will compete in the state meet next weekend at Shippensburg University in the 400-meter relay after teaming with Bryce Dean, Adaire Settles and Abigail Mitrik to finish sixth in 49.36 and hit the state-qualifying-standard of 49.56.
Kuchera did have her best jump of the season in the triple, but hasn’t hit her PR of 40-09.
“My shins have been very bad this year, and we haven’t had as many meets this year,” Kuchera said. “We also do a few meets in West Virginia and they don’t have triple jump there, and there was only one section meet this year, so I didn’t have as many opportunities this year.
“I am looking to break my PR at states. I really want to win a state championship since this is my senior year. I really like the jumping events because I think it is less stressful, and you have so many opportunities to better your jump rather than everyone going at the same time at the track.”
South Fayette’s Olivia Renk ran a PR of 12.09 to win the 100-meter dash in Class 3A.
The meet was suspended because of rain with 17 events remaining. Competition will resume at Slippery Rock today.
The Big Macs’ Elisabeth Franczyk is headed to Shippensburg in the triple jump (37-01.50) and 300 hurdles (45.56). She was fourth in both events. Teammate Maggie Clair was second in the shot put (39-09) to earn a berth.
Fort Cherry’s 3,200-meter relay team finished second in Class 2A to earn a spot in the state meet. The Rangers’ Emily Frankovich, Jazlyn Martino, Raney Staub and Bella Bianchini clocked in at 9:49.78, which broke a school record.
Frankovich was fifth in the 1,600 with a time of 5:20.33 to qualify for states in two events.
The Lions’ 3,200-meter relay team of Emily Sinton, Madeline Stock, Abby Poe and Siya Joshi ran the sixth best time in the state this season with a time of 9:27.63 but finished second to North Allegheny.
South Fayette will compete in the event at the state meet.
The Lions’ Delaney Schumaker (2nd in 14.91) and Evabella Cox (4th in 15.40) qualified for states in the 100 hurdles. Teammate Emily Sinton was fifth in the 800-meter run, but hit the qualifying standard with a time of 2:17.75.
Burgettstown’s Peyton Mermon was third in the 400 meters in Class 2A to qualify for states with a time of 57.78.
Peters Township’s Meagan McKenna was sixth in the 1,600 in Class 3A, but hit the qualifying standard with a time of 5:05.28.
Charleroi’s Eden Smith (5th in 16.14) met the automatic state-qualifying mark in the 100-meter hurdles in Class 2A.
The meet was delayed twice before officials decided to suspend the meet until this afternoon at 4 p.m.
The Class 2A boys were ready to compete in the 800-meter run when the event was delayed due to lightning at approximately 8:45. The decision to suspend the meet occurred around 9:30.