Three records fall, including the state triple-jump mark, during first day of Meet of Champions
NORTH ANDOVER — As Cohasset junior Nicholas Askjaer approached his final discus attempt at Thursday’s Meet of Champions, he searched for one final burst of energy.
Askjaer’s best throw to that point was 181 feet, though he had routinely reached the upper-180s during recent practices. But reaching his full potential in a meet setting would require perfect execution.
When he released his final toss and watched the disc sail to the left, Askjaer felt a surge of relief.
Askjaer blew away the competition with a final toss of 187 feet, 1 inch, setting a five-foot personal best and smashing the previous meet record of 180-05 that had stood since 2021.
The throw was one of three meet records to fall on Day 1 at Merrimack College, with the remaining events to be held Saturday.
“Usually my throws land off to the right of center, which means I’m pulling out a little bit earlier,” said Askjaer. “So when I saw that one headed towards the left, I knew that I got a longer acceleration on it . . . It was absolutely something that I was expecting I could do, but it feels great to see it.”
▪ Between the cross-country and indoor and outdoor track seasons, a competitive group of top girls’ distance runners have gained plenty of familiarity over the past nine months.
The culmination was Thursday’s two-mile race, which saw Needham senior Greta Hammer defend her title with an eight-second victory (10 minutes, 34.55 seconds).
The pack remained bunched together over the first half of the race, before Hammer made her move with three laps remaining to surge past Billerica sophomore Kylie Donahue (10:42.59) and Concord-Carlisle junior Maria Chopas (10:44.54).
“I know all these girls, and I know they’re all amazing, amazing competitors, and I even know their racing styles,” said Hammer. “I was so glad to have a good pack for the first half.”
▪ Entering the boys’ 800, Brookline senior Harry Flint focused his attention on Newburyport senior Michael Mohoric.
Although Flint expected Mohoric to set the pace early, he found himself narrowly ahead at the halfway mark.
He kept Mohoric’s presence in mind as he made his final kick, capping a two-second win (1:50.33) over Mohoric (1:52.41). The performance topped a 10-year meet record (1:51.17) and marked a one-second personal best.
“I see him coming up behind me with those sunglasses, I was just waiting for that. It just made my heart jump,” said Flint. “That’s my favorite part of this sport — I get challenged by someone, and I get to kick on him.”
▪ In the boys’ triple jump, Catholic Memorial junior Amar Skeete rolled to a four-foot victory (51-02) and obliterated the meet record of 49-06.00 which had stood since 1981.
Skeete also surpassed his own state record and personal best of 50-05.25, which he set last year at New Balance Nationals.
“It all comes back to a change of mind-set before last season,” said Skeete. “I noticed that I was very in my head a lot, trapped in my own thoughts, and it showed in my performance. So I’m just out here having fun and I love competing.”
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