Monday, May 21, 2001

State track and field
meet took off
without a hitch

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

WAILUKU >> Sacred Hearts junior Kelly Figueira was the individual star of the Island Movers HHSAA State Track and Field Championship meet Saturday, winning the 100 meters and the long jump, as well as anchoring the Lancers' winning 4x100 relay team and third-place 4x400 team.

She said she was pleased with her performance, but wonders if her marks would have been better with a day off between the trials and finals, as is the usual schedule. This year, trials and finals were held on consecutive days, due to the state school teachers strike that could have caused cancellation of the meet altogether.

"I'm very happy we even had a meet," said Figueira, who was taking aim at Shari Fox's 22-year-old long jump meet record of 19-21/2, which Figueira had bettered earlier in the season. "But I think everybody's legs were tired on Saturday from the day before."

The fatigue could have contributed to no records being set at the meet.

Still, there were several outstanding individual efforts.

In addition to Figueira, Iolani's Lauran Dignam (200 meters, 400 meters), Kahuku's Natasha Kai (100 and 300 hurdles), St. Louis' Daniel Inferrera (100 meters, 200 meters) and Punahou's Todd Iacovelli (1,500 and 3,000 meters) all won two individual events.

Punahou won both the boys and girls team championships, the 17th time the Buffanblu have captured both titles in the same year.

Compared to previous years, what transpired at War Memorial Stadium over the weekend could be considered as just another typical state meet.

But this event was anything but ordinary.

Running a meet is akin to putting on a three-ring circus, while keeping score.

Add the special circumstances that forced the compression of schedules -- which caused most teams to arrive on Maui the afternoon of the trials -- and there was potential for disaster.

But the only real hang-ups were Friday's trials beginning 19 minutes late and the triple jump finals ending over an hour after the rest of the meet.

A crowded track during the 3,000 finals due to trials being canceled might have cost someone a meet record, but that turned out not to matter.

"I didn't really notice any difference in the way the meet was run," Figueira said.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, said he received no complaints about the way it was run.

"I think everyone understood this was an unusual circumstance," he said. "I'd say overall, the meet was a great success. All the participants were able to compete."

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