Robbins Wins Pole Vault at NYC Gotham Cup

STATEN ISLAND, NY – On Friday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, Marisa Robbins (Goshen, NY) of the Manhattan College indoor track & field team cleared 3.75 meters (12 feet, 3½ inches) to win the women's pole vault at the NYC Gotham Cup.  Her victory was just one of several solid performances for the Jaspers, who sent primarily sprinters and distance runners to the competition.

Kelly Gorman (South Amboy, NJ) grabbed fifth place in the women's 800 meters with a 2:14.99 clocking.  She later joined with Erin Spadaccini (Wilmington, DE), Alexa Roda (Staten Island, NY) and Kaitlyn Smith (Effort, PA) in the 4x800 meter relay, and the quartet took third in a time of 9:16.90.  In the distance medley relay, Lisa Fajardo (Brooklyn, NY), Jacquie Roda (Staten Island, NY), Victoria Cruz (West Nyack, NY) and Grace Ostolozaga (Stony Point, NY) combined for a time of 12:57.87, which earned them eighth place overall.

Meanwhile, the 4x400 meter relay squad of Kathy Cadet (Endicott, NY), Jasmine Davis (Ronkonkoma, NY), Mikeisha Kelly (Albany, NY) and Paige Chapman (Abingdon, MD) took fifth in 3:53.84. 

The distance runners, many of whom were competing for the first time during the indoor season, performed well on the men's side.  Amir Khaghani (Bethesda, MD) was second in the 5000 meters (14:54.24), while Tom Diliberto (Massapequa Park, NY) finished fourth in the 3000 meters (8:27.75).  Tom Bonaro (Pearl River, NY) placed eighth in the 800 meters (1:5.77), and John Dove (Monroe, NY) secured eighth place in the mile (4:16.37).

In the men's 4x400 relay, the team of Akash Patel (Orlando, FL), Justin Alleyne (New Rochelle, NY), Will Stallings (Sleepy Hollow, NY) and Kyle Watkins (Coram, NY) posted a time of 3:20.52, which was good for sixth place.