Two weekend meets have the 49ers booked up

A busy weekend is ahead for the Long Beach State track and field team.

The weekend starts with the Mt. Sac California Decathlon-Heptathlon held today and Friday at Azusa Pacific University.

Scheduled to compete for the 49ers are Richard Christensen, Marion Reneau, Marla McReynolds and Shannon Livingston, said LBSU Head Coach Andy Sythe.

The 49ers then come home to the Long Beach Invitational  held Jack Rose Track on Saturday. Schools that are scheduled to compete are Texas Tech, Nevada-Las Vegas, USC, Wisconsin, UCLA, Purdue and others.
 

Last weekend The Beach had a "play weekend" at the Meet of Champions at Azusa Pacific University on Saturday.

"The theme of the weekend was for the athletes to try out new events," Sythe said. "This keeps us from getting stale."

LBSU Borya Celentano  placed 1st overall in the pole vault and tied the meet record he set last year.

His mark of 18 feet 2 1/2 inches places him in the top three in the nation.

Celentano has already qualified for the Olympic trials, which will take place in June.

49er Jon O'Neil was the top collegiate thrower in the men's shot put, placing 3rd with his lifetime best mark of 58-4 1/2.

O'Neil also placed third in the discus throw 178-5 and fourth in the hammer throw 174-6.

Field specialist Kenya Jimerson placed second overall in the women's triple jump. Her mark of 39-2 1/2 is a lifetime best and is more than a foot higher than her score at the Big West Challenge.

High jumper Tayyiba Haneef placed in the women's high jump with a mark of 5-10 1/2 inches.