Piedmont High School’s track and field teams continued to put up strong marks as the season has progressed. At the Stanford Invitational on April 4-5, the Highlanders’ stars were out.
Miguel Long won the triple jump at 45 feet, 8 ½ inches, extending his own school record. He also took 13th in the long jump at 20-7 ¼.
Sebastien Swain was 20th in the boys 800 meters with personal best of one minute, 55.83 seconds. He also finished 17th in the boys 1,600 in 4:20.67.
The girls distance medley relay team of Nikita Gorelik, Ella Yasar, Caroline Taylor and Leighton Mand was 11th in their heat in 13:12.89. That was the faster of the two heats run.
The boys 400 relay team of Rehan Mumtaz, Sam Shelby, Maddox Ma and Eric Venner was 12th in the prelims in 43.35. The boys 1,600 team of Long, Ma, Venner and Shelby was 21st in 3:32.64.
The girls 1,600 team of Yasar, Claire Aubrecht, Skylar Best and Daniela Lucaccini was also 21st in 4:11.64. That was the fastest time by a Piedmont team since 2002, according to Highlanders coach Pouyan Assadi.
“Stanford went really, really well,” Assadi said. “We had a few PRs, but more importantly our team was competitive against our peers. Even if there was a race that we didn’t place as well, we fought and fought and fought. That’s what you want to see as a coach. We’re a more veteran team this season relative to last year and it seems like we’re battle tested and ready to take on the May championship run.”
Long came back the next weekend at the Acadia Invitational to finish eighth in the invitational triple jump at 43-7. The Arcadia Invitational is the top high school track meet in the country where national-leading marks are set every year.
At a March 27 West Alameda County Conference meet at Arroyo, Saniyah Johnson set a school record in the shot put at 32-6 ½.
Piedmont’s boys and girls teams are undefeated in WACC competition entering an April 16 meet against Alameda at Mt. Eden. The Highlanders will likely face another pair of undefeated teams on April 23 at Castro Valley.