IRVINE — Barbara Nwaba leads the heptathlon after day one of the Big West Multi-Event Championships at UC Irvine’s Anteater Stadium.
Nwaba scored 3250 points on the first day of the competition. Her marks included a personal best of 5-7.75 (1.72m) in the high jump, a 100m hurdles time of 14.49 and a 200m dash time of 24.87. She is ahead of the day-one pace of 3200 she set at the California Invitational Heptathlon, where she would eventually score a UCSB record 5039 points.
“Everyone is set to have a big day tomorrow,” remarked multi-events coach Josh Priester. “Barb needs to set the tone early with a big long jump, then take it one event at a time.”
Sherrina Lofton of Cal State Northridge is currently in second with 3228 points. She is followed by Taylor O’Connor of Long Beach State with 2928.
Tayler Williams is in scoring position for the Gauchos, sitting seventh with 2816 points after day one. Maureen Ajoku is in ninth with 2760 points, just four points out of the eighth and final scoring position. The three Gaucho heptathletes combined to set eight personal bests in 12 possible events.
Mike Larocca is currently the top Gaucho in the decathlon, sitting 10th with 3277 points after day one. Jacob Maus is close behind with 3225 points, which places him at 12th.
Robert Robinson of Cal State Northridge, the runner-up in the decathlon the previous two years, is currently leading with 3909 points.
The final five events of the decathlon will be contested tomorrow at Anteater Stadium beginning at 11:00 a.m. The final three events of the heptathlon will begin at 1:00 p.m.
